


New Beginnings

by TheHarperGrey



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Pregnancy, Romantic Fluff, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 29,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29276145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHarperGrey/pseuds/TheHarperGrey
Summary: Shortly after Robin passes, Regina realizes that her soulmate's kiss broke her curse and finds herself pregnant with his child. Emma and Killian are enjoying being newly married, Henry is a teenager with less time for his mothers, and David and Snow's relationship has changed. David is forced to help Regina at first and they are mistaken for a married couple...EC endgame. Slow burn.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Prince Charming | David Nolan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

_Day #4 of EC Week "Fake Marriage" inspired me to start on an idea I've had for a while now. This begins about five months after Robin dies. Regina, alone again, realizes that her soulmate's kiss broke her curse, and she is pregnant with his child. Emma is enjoying newly married life with Killian, Henry is a teenager with little time for his mothers, and Snow and David's marriage is rocky._

_David finds himself being forced (at first) to help Regina...and I'll let you read the rest. Let me know if you like this idea!_

* * *

"Look at you! You've really popped!" Snow's obnoxiously bright smile greeted her when the front door swung open before she could even knock twice, "Oh Regina, you look adorable!" She fussed and immediately had her hands on Regina's gently curved five month bump, poking and prodding in awe. It never failed how many times Regina grumbled or swatted away hands, nothing seemed to deter her former step-daughter from making over her protruding belly.

Regina sighed under her breath, glancing at the ceiling with her hands on her hips to try to deflect from the touchy-feely woman in front of her, "I thought we had an agreement, Snow."

"Oh," Snow shook her head with a wistful smile when Regina tilted her head back down to look at her, pulling her hands away and clasping them in front of her chest, "I know but I just can't help it! You're practically glowing and you're still so slim and beautiful. When I was pregnant I looked like a human tent!"

Regina gave a small smirk at the memory of Snow waddling around while pregnant with Neal and followed her to the kitchen area of the Charmings' new farmhouse, "I'm not hungry before you try feeding me again."

"I'll get you something to drink then. Juice! It'll be good for the baby," Snow smiled quickly, grabbing a glass from the shelf, "Emma and Henry just ran out to get groceries for dinner and then we'll start cooking."

Regina nodded with a hint of a smile at the thought of their new tradition. They had made it a point to begin having dinner weekly as a family, all of them gathering at David and Snow's or at Granny's every Wednesday. The Charmings, _of course_ , came up with the idea and she was well aware it was a sly excuse to get her out of the mansion after the loss of her soulmate.

The turmoil following Robin's death brought by the return of her Evil Queen counterpart and Emma fighting the final battle had forced her to keep going and distracted her from the reality of her situation for a while. It was easier to compartmentalize her grief over Robin and avoid the fact that she was about to raise another child alone when she had enemies to fight and curses to break. But eventually it became too hard to hide the physical signs of her pregnancy and she told her family that there would be a new addition before the year end.

Since the Charmings, Emma and Henry found out about the pregnancy, they had refused to give her the space they once granted when they thought she was merely mourning Robin. Now that everyone was aware she was pregnant on top of missing her soulmate, they refused to let her be alone for long. If she were being honest, she often looked forward to them forcing her to be social and knew it was something she needed but would never ask for on her own. The irony was not lost on her that she now was secretly grateful for the Charming gene that compelled them to constantly be nosy and insert themselves without invitation.

Being in their cozy farmhouse surrounded by family or in Granny's noisy diner was a stark contrast to her normal evening routine in her quiet mansion. Henry was a teenager now and always seemed to be busy between seeing friends and splitting his time at she and Emma's house. She didn't blame him for not being with her as much and she was happy to see him so content now that the threats to their family were behind them and life had settled down. It was time for him to get back to being a kid again and the rest of the town to find a sense of normalcy.

"You know we should start doing this at my house, there's much more room to cook and I have an actual dining room," Regina suggested with a shrug, leaning in to press her elbows on the counter and wrap her hands around the glass of juice Snow set in front of her. She stifled a quiet laugh at the way the bubbly woman's eyes lit up at the mention of being invited into her personal space. It was almost reminiscent of the young girl who longed to spend any moment she could around her when Regina first married her father.

"Really?" Snow gave a bright but surprised smile and bent to scoop Neal up when he crawled through the kitchen, "You wouldn't mind the noise and the mess?"

The question stung Regina but she knew Snow meant no harm. It was a question meant to be thoughtful, not to point out the emptiness and quietness of the mansion that was filled with such life only five months ago. Truth be told she missed the noise and the mess in her home when Robin and Roland and Henry lived there.

What she wouldn't give to see Roland's muddy boots discarded in the foyer or Robin's bath towel on the floor _right_ beside of the bathroom hamper. Her house full of boys had been the messiest but happiest time of her life and she desperately wanted that feeling back. The child growing inside of her gave her hope that she would have that again, even if she were doing it alone.

"I could tolerate it for _one_ night of the week," Regina shrugged after clearing her throat, seeing Snow chuckle softly at her dry humor, her own lips curling slightly in response. Their relationship had evolved tremendously and she found the woman she once hated to be one of her closest friends. Albeit, friendship was a concept she was still getting used to and she knew she could be a bear at times, but luckily Snow never stopped trying.

"It's a plan," Her former stepdaughter nodded adamantly, bouncing her son on her hip, "How did your last doctors visit go?"

"Fine," Regina nodded once, her left hand finding her small bump absentmindedly. She'd gained little to no weight aside from the rounding of her stomach, but Wale assured her she and the baby were both healthy. He advised that without the stress she'd been under in the first trimester she might of filled out more by now but reassured her that her baby was still strong. "It's still in there."

" _It_?" Snow sighed with an incredulous smile and rolled her eyes, "You still haven't found out the sex?"

"No," Regina let out a breath and her expression softened at Neal when she caught his curious blue eyes staring at her before looking back to Snow, "What is the point in that? Women never knew the sex of their child until they were born back in the Enchanted Forest. Knowing what it is won't change anything right now."

"Because it's exciting! And you can be better prepared. We'll know what color to paint the nursery and what clothes to buy-" Snow rambled and Regina groaned internally. She didn't know how to act when the woman in front of her began to babble excitedly about the baby so she simply remained quiet. "Do you still have your birthing classes scheduled for next week?"

"I told you I didn't need those," She spoke up then with a warning raise of her brow, "Breathe and push, I got it. I don't know why you signed me up for that nonsense."

" _Ooh-ho-ho_ , trust me Regina, you want to take those," Snow's eyes widened, "The only instruction I had before giving birth to Emma was to bite down on a belt. We took them before Neal considering it had been a while and I was thankfully more prepared..."

Regina scoffed out a chuckle, "You don't think it had anything to do with the fact you'd already pushed out one Charming?"

"Regina-" The woman sighed and shifted her baby on her hip, "This will be your first time giving birth and I just think having some guidance will help you feel more prepared...If it's no big deal then why don't you just go? It'll be good information to have, even if you don't need it," She shrugged and watched as Regina shifted uncomfortably, diverting her gaze to avoid showing Snow the vulnerability she felt.

"Because," Regina shot a look up at her as a deep frown set into her features, "Women have been giving birth without classes for centuries! I have ruled a kingdom, I have created a curse, I have run a town, I have raised a child already. I think I can figure out how to push a baby out of my body without attending a class. Why are you pestering me about this?"

"Now you're being oversensitive," Snow chuckled softly and tilted her head to the side in a knowing way that made Regina groan quietly at the knowledge she wasn't letting this go, "Regina...what are you really afraid of?"

"Nothing," She snapped back before remembering Snow was only trying to help and fixed her gaze to the counter between them as she swallowed thickly, "I'm not scared of anything...I just don't think it's something I need to do. I'm much too busy at work to take time out of my day to do something so unnecessary."

"They give classes on the weekend so that people who work during the week can attend. I gave you the brochure," Snow shrugged and Regina nearly cracked the glass she held with her grip, "Now are you going to keep giving me excuses or are you going to talk to me?"

Regina glared at the woman for a long moment before rolling her eyes and looking away from her, "It also says on your brochure to bring a birthing partner for those classes and I don't...have a partner," She hated the way her vulnerability made her voice wobble despite her steeled expression. Hated the fact she'd just admitted her loneliness to Snow White. Hated the fact she was lonely at a time she should feel anything but.

Snow pressed her lips together but kept any sympathetic words to herself, knowing Regina would mistake her empathy for pity, "Is that all?" She shrugged as if it were irrelevant. "David isn't doing anything next Saturday, he'll go!"

"David will do what?" The tall sandy blonde appeared with a furrowed brow, coming into the kitchen with a diaper in one hand and a teething towel over his shoulder as he made his way around the counter to Snow.

"Nothing-" Regina spoke up quickly, shooting a look at Snow who was smiling reassuringly and holding out Neal to his father, "Snow, that's not necessary-"

"Regina needs a birthing partner for her class next weekend," Snow chirped and Regina clenched her jaw. _She was going to kill that girl after all._ "I said you could go."

"I uh-" Prince Charming stuttered hesitantly and glanced between the two of them, "A what?"

"Birthing class! Like the one you and I went to before Neal," His wife jogged his memory, giving him a glance that warned him against any negative reaction. "You'll go with Regina. You don't mind. Tell her you don't mind."

"I-" He glanced over at Regina and shifted at the thunderous look on the Queen's face. "I don't mind."

Regina reeled with irritation and embarrassment at the situation and the look on David's face told her he felt just as awkward about the idea, "Really Snow White, this is an unnecessary waste of time. I have much better things I could-"

"Regina," Snow cut in firmly, leaving David and Regina's lips parting in surprise at the unusual sternness, "David will go with you and you will attend for the welfare of you and your child when the time comes that you bring the next member of our family into this world. I told you that we were all going to help you with this baby and I meant it. Got it?"

She glared somewhat slack-jawed at the woman, taken aback by the motherly tone that invited no argument. Snow simply countered her silence with a brow raise of her own and she found herself unable to form any other argument or excuse. Regina's jaw snapped shut and she briefly considered the fact that she didn't know the first thing about giving birth.

She considered how such a thing may be beneficial and help calm her nerves about delivery, but she wasn't about to admit it. So instead she rolled her eyes as if it were the most absurd idea she'd ever heard and that she was merely agreeing to humor her, "If I agree will you shut up?"

* * *

David sighed and took a deep breath as he knocked on the front door of the mansion. There was no answer or activity to be heard on the other side and he shifted on his feet in contemplation. He glanced back at his truck still running and considered what would happen if he left and told Snow that Regina hadn't been home before shaking his head at the thought. He'd never hear the end of it from Snow if he flaked and he knew Regina didn't deserve to be let down.

He reached out to try the handle after a few minutes, surprised to find that it turned and allowed him to push open the front door. Despite how far they'd all come in the past few years, it still felt odd to invite himself into the home of the once Evil Queen. Snow and Emma had become quite close to Regina and although they were now family, he hadn't spent much one-on-one time with her. The downstairs was quiet and pristine when he stepped in the foyer and glanced around for any sign of the brunette before he heard footsteps in the hall above that prompted him to look up.

"Sorry," Regina muttered as she started down the staircase with a hand on the railing while David remained where he stood. He could tell she was irritated as she tugged at the fitted black cap-sleeved dress she wore that appeared to be made out of softer, more stretchy material than she knew what to do with. He'd never seen her wear anything that wasn't tailored or sharply form-fitting and while she still looked chic in this, he bit back amusement that this was likely the closest thing to maternity wear her vanity would allow. "I couldn't find anything appropriate to wear."

He smirked to himself at how disgruntled she seemed to be with the end result, despite the fact she looked entirely put together with expertly done makeup, freshly styled hair and uncomfortable looking heels. "No problem at all, I just got here. You ready to go?" He asked, reaching behind him for the door knob as she gave a reluctant nod.

"Yes," She took a deep breath and briefly glanced up at him with an apologetic expression as she approached, "Sorry about this, but we both know if we hadn't agreed Snow would never shut up."

"Oh, I know," David chuckled at her eye roll over Snow and opened the front door, pulling it shut as he followed her out into the muggy summer morning, "I left the truck running so it'll be nice and cool."

"Your -" Her head snapped up at him at the mention of his pickup, "How am I supposed to get in that monstrosity?" Regina's eyes widened as she walked down the path and crossed her arms over her chest in disgust at the exhaust fumes clouding her driveway, "We could get carbon monoxide poisoning just standing here!"

"I'll help you into the passenger seat," He raised an eyebrow and ignored her snobby behavior, reaching for the passenger door and swinging it open. She gave him a testy look when he motioned her over, her jaw setting in that telltale way that she was barely keeping her temper under control.

She was clearly aggravated to even be in this situation and he knew that forcing the polished Mayor out of her posh comfort zone and into his truck was pushing the limit but he had no choice. "Look we'd take yours, but I'm 6'5" and I don't see myself fitting into your sports car without breaking something and then you'd _really_ be mad."

"Fine," She grit out when she glanced at him and saw that he was trying to be reasonable so she tucked her hair behind her ear and stepped up to the truck, tilting her head up in search of a handle, "Just get me in here?" She huffed when she saw it was out of her reach and threw an embarrassed glance his way.

David bit back a grin when she snapped her back forward and he gripped the Mayor's hips, lifting her up with ease as she reached to grab the handle in a vain attempt at looking like she did it herself. Even five months pregnant she was considerably light and looked petite perched in his passenger seat despite the threatening expression on her face, "Not so hard, was it?" He chuckled at the glare she gave him before he gently shut the door and rounded to the driver side.

He had more patience for her than he usually did considering he knew that she was no more happy about this than he. His ideal Saturday hadn't been taking his former enemy to a birthing class but she was trying to be civil and it at least got him out of the house. Winter and spring had seemed to last forever and the tension between he and his wife made their considerably roomier home feel as small as their old loft apartment. If Snow hadn't volunteered him for this he likely would've found an excuse to go to the station for the day which would've only made matters worse when he returned home and was confronted for avoiding being there. At least this way he had a reason to be elsewhere that his wife couldn't hold against him.

"Here," David reached to the dashboard after stepping up and settling into the driver's seat with ease, picking up the paper bag holding the pastry he'd purchased on the way, "Thought you may be hungry."

Regina glanced at offering in surprise, clearly not expecting the small kindness from him. She looked to be as unsure around him as he was her. In the past they had only avoided each other or argued incessantly and she almost looked uncomfortable over the nice gesture, "Thank you..."

* * *

"This is so foolish-" Regina muttered, trying to find a ladylike way to sit on the mat after they'd signed in and found a spot near the corner of the room. The class was offered in a building not far from the town hall and she'd nearly walked straight out when she realized one of Blue's ' _fairy idiots'_ taught it. Luckily it seemed to be a newer fairy from the Enchanted Forest that Regina did not have any kind of negative history with and it had calmed nerves by a fraction. _At least enough to agree to stay._

"It's not all bad," David smirked and took a seat beside of her on the floor after helping her down, "You comfortable?" He asked and put his hand to her lower back for a moment. The touch was brief and harmless but she shivered and realized how she'd missed caring contact from someone. Henry was the only person she was affectionate with now but she was his mother which meant she was the one giving the hugs and the comfort. Her heart ached at how sorely she missed being held and comforted in the way she'd gotten used to with Robin around.

"Fine," She nodded once she found her voice, her eyes shifting irritably when another couple approached the spot beside of them. " _Gods help us_ ," Regina muttered at the bubbly young couple and glanced at David to see if he found them as annoying as she did.

"It'll be over before you know it," David chuckled under his breath, seeming to know that her grouchy behavior was only a byproduct of her uneasiness. Raising Henry on her own had been a choice and the thing that saved her, but this was entirely different. This was an unexpected pregnancy and giving birth and somehow caring for a newborn on her own after childbirth. It was uncharted territory and this class was only a reminder that she would soon have to face the terrifying reality she'd been avoiding.

The fairy instructor began the class and forced her from her thoughts, only furthering her annoyance with an introduction that was entirely too long and cheerful. Regina took a deep breath and forced herself to at least pretend to pay attention until she saw others moving and realized the partners had been instructed to sit behind the pregnant women and begin the breathing exercises.

David shuffled without a second thought and she quickly moved to un-tuck her legs as his long ones stretched beside of hers and his chest brushed her back. Regina stiffened instantly and shut her eyes briefly at how intimate and awkward she felt. _She was going to kill Snow White._

"I'm Maggie, by the way," The blonde in her peripheral vision whispered and smiled brightly at Regina, "This is my boyfriend, Ben."

"Nice to meet you," David spoke up, tapping Regina gently on the arm to respond when she simply stared back at them in annoyance.

"Regina," She muttered quietly before turning her attention back to the obnoxiously upbeat fairy in the front. Sitting through this class was painful enough without humoring a pair of irresponsible young people beside her.

"I'm David," He chimed in and she felt his voice vibrate against her back and the heat from his body with his slight lean forward to address the couple. They were either entirely young and clueless or they had just come from another realm if they did not know who David was and she rolled her eyes at how friendly Charming was being.

David felt her becoming physically tense and he knew the instructor repeatedly referring to everyone as a _couple_ or ' _mommies and daddies_ ' couldn't be helping. She seemed to be growing increasingly uncomfortable as the class went on instead of relaxing as he hoped she would but he couldn't fault her. He tried to imagine what it would be like to be going through this alone after everything she'd been through and he found himself wishing he could somehow fix it. It seemed like she more than anyone couldn't catch a break and it wasn't fair given the hard work she'd put into redeeming herself.

"You doing okay?" He decided to ask quietly near Regina's ear, smelling the scent of her perfume as he leaned in to do so. She gave a small, tense nod as the instructor told the partners to put their hands on the mother's bump. David tilted his head to look at her for permission but she kept her face forward, likely to save her pride.

The haughty persona she put on would _never_ allow Charming to put his hands on her but he sensed she also did not want to appear any more out of place in here than she already felt. So, he took a chance and slowly moved his hands from resting on his own thighs to her sides, sliding them over the rounded curve of her baby bump. Never did he think he'd be in such an intimate position with the woman who tried to destroy him for years but here he was, _with his lovely wife to thank for it._

"Having a _blast_ ," She replied dryly to his inquiry of her well being, causing him to chuckle quietly as he returned his attention to the instruction at the front of the class. His hands rested gently on her stomach and he let his mind wander, noting how small she still was for being halfway through her pregnancy. The width of his hands on each side nearly covered the expanse of her swollen belly, making him feel like the gentle giant sitting behind her small frame.

"So how long have you two been married?" The blonde leaned over to them once more, striking up quiet conversation in just the way a teenager in a classroom would. Regina snapped her gaze towards the daft girl, lips parting but not knowing how to respond as soon as she saw the well-meaning curiosity in her eyes. Times like these made her wish she could still be as rude and ruthless as the Evil Queen without feeling guilty afterward.

Anxiety crept up inside of her and she furrowed her brow, not knowing why she stumbled so much for the right words. Pregnancy and grief had kept her physically and mentally exhausted for months now. The combination kept her on edge emotionally, making it a challenge to maintain her usual cool and collected demeanor. She wasn't sure there would be anything more humiliating than admitting to a teenager that she was a single pregnant woman in her thirties and the man attending the class with her was not the father, but someone who joined her out of pity.

Before she could answer, David's casual tone met her ears and his stubble grazed her jaw briefly when he turned his head towards the side of hers, "What has it been now babe? 7 years?"

Regina turned her head just an inch in surprise, but his face was too close to hers to see his expression. She glanced back to the two teenage idiots who were now smiling foolishly at the prospect of their fake marriage and swallowed hard, half irritated and half relieved that David hadn't made her answer the girl, "Uh..."

"She never can remember," David replied jokingly with a glance at the young couple when Regina stuttered, sliding his hands to meet over her bump and giving his arms around her a gentle squeeze for effect, "But that's okay, Valentines Day and anniversaries aren't really her thing, she prefers us do special things for each other just because. You know?"

"That's so romantic," The young girl sighed and smiled wistfully at them and David chuckled again.

Regina felt her body slowly beginning to relax at the warmth of his arms around her and the fact that he did not seem to feel awkward about it. It brought her relief and her anxiety seemed to calm at the picture they were painting for the younger couple. It was easier than telling the truth and pretending to be married to David gave her an excuse to act more natural in his embrace.

Maggie and Ben were watching them expectantly and she realized they were waiting for her to elaborate, "Yes uh...he's more of the sappy one. Flowers, candy, surprise dinners. That sort of thing."

"You sound like a real prince charming!" The blonde said dreamily, causing them both to laugh then and David felt victorious that Regina was at least relaxed enough to find the humor in it now.

Regina bit down on her bottom lip and glanced back at the man holding her, "Oh, you have _no idea_ ," She grinned knowingly at Charming. David's blue eyes crinkled with his smile back at her and her heart warmed at his genuine nature.

It was extremely rare in her life that anyone extended kindness to her without an ulterior motive. Her past had taught her that anyone offering relief or warmth or a nice gesture would always want something in return. But now? She was pregnant and he was happily married to Snow, so this was clearly not about sex. He'd seen her at her worst and been the recipient of her terror for years, so it wasn't out of pity. Snow had forced him into this, but he didn't have to be as nice to her as he had been today. He didn't have to get her breakfast or help her feel comfortable or humor her bad mood without retaliation. He was simply a genuinely good man.

"Is this your first kid?" The quieter half of the young duo asked with a slightly nervous expression and David smiled at the younger man's anxiety, knowing the feeling all too well himself.

"Yeah, it is. She wanted to have a career and I work odd hours at the station so," David shrugged as he fabricated, "We waited until the time was right."

"Yeah, we didn't really plan this," Maggie admitted, sharing a weak smile with her boyfriend that Regina found hard not to empathize with. At least the young girl hadn't been so foolish as to let herself get into that situation and end up alone as she had.

"But we're making the best of it," Ben nodded reassuringly at his girlfriend and Regina felt David's fingers caress her bump soothingly.

Being around Charming had never had a calming effect on her and she found herself wondering how they had managed to get along today without any of the spats that usually came with being in the same room as one another. She'd allowed herself to become so relaxed in his presence that she'd pretended to be his wife and let him hold her and actually followed the ridiculous exercises the instructor had them doing. He'd helped calm her enough that she actually listened and retained information and lost track of time in a situation she had dreaded.

"Best of luck to you both," David nodded with a smile as the class came to an end and everyone began chatting and gathering their belongings. He pulled his legs from around Regina, standing himself before leaning over to hold out his hands and help her. She found herself instantly missing the warmth and close contact of his body but she stifled the inappropriate desire to be close to him again.

She eyed his outstretched hands hesitantly, glancing up to see him raise a brow in warning not to be stubborn before letting him help her stand. Sitting down with her back to him had been one thing but facing him now, posed as husband and wife in front of the other couple, had her feeling awkward and unsure of what to do. David must have sensed it, smiling at her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a continuation of their charade.

"Thank you, best of luck to you, too," The younger woman replied with a smile and Regina could see that she was looking at them in adoration, likely hoping she and her young boyfriend would be like them one day. _If she only knew_. "You're going to make a beautiful family," Maggie added, jolting Regina from her sarcastic thoughts.

She stood stiffly as the other couple made their way to the exit, not sure whether to break physical contact with David or enjoy it a few moments more before their walk outside. Her gaze flickered up at Charming and she raised an eyebrow questioningly when she found him with an amused smile.

"Who would've thought? The Evil Queen and Prince Charming make a _beautiful family_."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To give more background, this story starts when Regina is about 5 months along. 
> 
> The idea being that she became pregnant just shortly before Robin's death. Everything after his death happened according to canon for the most part. Regina splits from the EQ, they defeat Hyde, the EQ is redeemed and with Wish Robin, Zelena and Regina make amends, Regina breaks the Snowing sleeping curse, the Dark Fairy starts the final battle and Emma wins it. 
> 
> My story picks up roughly two months after everyone gets their happy endings in season 6 (season 7 doesn't exist) and settles into life in Storybrooke. Enjoy!

_Two months prior..._

_"It's probably what I needed to move on..." Emma sighed and kept her gaze downcast towards the bar room napkin she held as Regina stood beside of Snow watching her. Regina hated to Emma hurting and she knew the feeling all too well. It was the reason she had insisted on she and Snow taking Emma out to the bar to loosen her up and possibly confront some of her feelings about Hook being gone._

_Up until this point, Snow had been the only one who seemed to do any 'loosening up'. Regina had spent most of her night sitting beside of a silent Emma at the bar and keeping a watchful eye on Snow's high stakes game of darts with the surly men she challenged. It wasn't until she'd been forced away to diffuse an argument between her former step-daughter and the biggest man of the group that the bartender had seemed to trigger Emma into admitting how she felt._

_Snow leaned in to hug her daughter then and Regina followed suit, leaning in behind of them and putting a comforting hand to Emma's back, "It's going to be okay, Emma."_

_"Yeah, yeah I know-" The blonde avoided Regina and Snow's gaze as she quickly wiped her face and took a deep breath, "Can we go home now? I'm kind of tired..."_

_"Of course-" Regina nodded, feeling tired herself. Her feet ached in her heels and the mocktails she'd been drinking weren't agreeing with the ever-present nausea in her stomach. Nausea she'd thought had been from grief and stress for nearly three months until recently._

_"I'd call Charming to pick us up, but you know-" Snow had sobered since her knife throwing but her eyes were droopy and her speech was still a hint slow, "Once he's out for the night there's no waking him up-" She referenced the sleeping curse and shrugged._

_Regina raised an eyebrow at the unusually dark humor from the woman before glancing between she and Emma, "It's fine, I can drive you both home."_

_"You've been drinking-" Snow's face scrunched up and she shook her head quickly, causing Regina to expel an impatient breath through her nose and roll her eyes._

_"Not that much."_

_"Regina, you've matched us round for round and martinis are a hell of a lot stronger than beer-" Emma raised a brow, setting her own empty glass down, "We can call someone else."_

_"Thank you for the concern but I can assure you I'm entirely sober," Regina replied tiredly, opening her clutch to pull out her keys before looking up to see their firm expressions. Snow reached out then and grabbed the keys from Regina's hands, causing her to clench her jaw in irritation. "Give me my keys, Snow White. I am ready to go home and I am completely fine to drive us all to our destinations-"_

_"Come on, Regina. If I had as many cocktails as you had right now I'd be on the floor-" Emma tried to reason with her less abrasively than Snow who held her hand with Regina's keys behind her back, "It's not worth it-"_

_"What about Zelena, have you taught her to drive yet?" Snow perked a brow and the mention of her sister made Regina growl._

_"No, she does not know how to drive yet and I do not need my sister to drive us-" Regina snapped, "Alright, fine. Stand still and I'll just poof us all to our own homes. Will that work?"_

_"Oh, noooo way-" Snow shook her head quickly, "I know what happens when the two of you try to poof under the influence," She turned her head to Emma and gave a laugh that was interrupted by a hiccup, "-remember that time you had the flu and took too much cold medicine and when you tried to poof Henry back to Regina's on Sunday he ended up at the Mayor's Office?"_

_"What?" Regina's mouth dropped at the mishap they'd clearly made a point not to tell her before._

_"It was back when I was still new at the whole magic thing," Emma looked up at her with wide eyes before shooting a glare at Snow who quickly lost the amusement to her expression at the look on Regina's face. "He was fine! Dad picked him up and dropped him off-"_

_"I really do not know how I ever agreed to share custody of my son with you fools," Regina grit out with a sigh, "Now please can you pay your tab and gather your things so I can send us home? I have had mock-tails all night, there was no alcohol in my drinks."_

_"Regina," Emma's tone was a little firmer then and she frowned, "Don't lie about it. I saw the bartender make most of them and he definitely put vodka in yours."_

_Regina closed her eyes briefly and clenched her jaw, trying to keep her temper under control. She was tired and she was stressed and she had barely processed the news she realized she was going to have to tell them. It was a miracle she'd been able to hide it for this long and her body would likely give her away soon anyway. "I used magic to turn them into water once the bartender gave them to me."_

_Snow looked at her confused and Emma raised a brow before speaking, "What are you like an alcoholic or something?"_

_"Regina, what's wrong?" Snow tilted her head and squinted at her as if she were analyzing her expression._

_"Nothings...nothings wrong," Regina pinched the bridge of her nose before bringing her hand down to rest against the bar and looked away from them, "I'm pregnant..."_

_"You're-" Emma's eyes grew wide when Regina looked back at her, watching the blonde's gaze dart down to her stomach._

_"Oh my - oh my god!" Snow sputtered, her own eyes full of joy as her mouth cracked into a wide smile, "Oh my goodness, Regina! When did you find out? How far along-" The woman babbled before stepping up to her and pulling Regina's blazer apart that camouflaged the gentle slope of her bump._

_"Snow White, do you mind?" Regina's eyes widened and she snapped, quickly pulling her blazer back over the midsection of her printed dress and looked around to make sure no one was paying attention. "It's not exactly news I would like to spread yet. Do you understand?!"_

_"Oh, oh of course," Snow's eyes were watery now and she gave a blubbery smile before pulling Regina into an obnoxiously tight hug, "I'm so happy. Oh, Regina, I'm so happy this happened for you."_

_Regina sighed and stiffly brought her hands up to Snow's back to hug her back briefly, giving a look to Emma for help only to watch her shrug and smile in amusement, "Congrats, Regina..." Emma said quietly but was being respectful to the fact she had not expressed how she herself felt about it yet. Swan had enough life experience to know that not every marriage or pregnancy or announcement of this sort was a happy one, unlike her mother who had only known these to be causes for celebration._

_"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Snow pulled back, still looking at Regina in wonderment. "How long have you known?!"_

_"Not long...only since the Queen was here," Regina admitted and bit down on her bottom lip, glancing down to toy with the latch on her clutch, "After we fought in my office we talked and she pointed it out-"_

_"How did she know and you didn't?" Emma raised an eyebrow curiously._

_Regina rolled her eyes with a stifled smirk of amusement when recalling the Queen's observation, "She was looking at me strangely and then asked if my chest had gotten bigger of if I'd just gained weight. I became defensive, to tell you the truth, I hadn't even been paying attention to my body-" She sighed, "I wasn't taking care of myself, I was too caught up in trying to get rid of her and keep everyone safe and avoid my grief. The changes were still so subtle, no one would've noticed but someone who knew my body like myself or my counterpart, she seemed to sense it..."_

_Snow's expression softened from sheer joy to a gentler, more compassionate one, "That's entirely understandable, Regina. Do you know how far along you are?" She asked, touching Regina's forearm briefly._

_She swallowed thickly, "I think, if my calculations are correct, around three months-" Regina avoided making eye contact with them, still not feeling entirely comfortable with sharing something so personal despite how close she'd become to the two women, "I think it happened not long before Robin..."_

_"Thanks for telling us," Emma said quietly and stood from her stool, "We won't say anything until you've had time to get used to the idea."_

_"Of course," Snow nodded adamantly and smiled softly at Regina when Emma walked over to grab her coat from the other side of the bar, "It's happening, Regina."_

_"What is?" Regina swallowed hard and looked at the woman, searching her expression for a clue as to what she was referring to._

_"You said you were going to start a new story. One with a better ending than your last-" Snow reached out and briefly squeezed Regina's hand, "I think it's off to a wonderful start. Don't you?"_

_"Hmm," Regina hummed and glanced down, still too raw and unsure of things to find the appropriate response._

_"Hey," Snow replied, forcing her to look back up, "You're not as alone as you think you are."_

* * *

Regina let out a breath as she rolled from her side to her back in bed, staring at the ceiling of her bedroom and trying to find the motivation to get up and start the day. If she continued to lie there thinking back on the events of the last five months she'd soon make herself crazy. Snow had been telling the truth when she reassured her she was not alone. Her family had been nothing but supportive and helpful since finding out about the child.

But on quiet Sunday mornings such as these when the baby in her womb beckoned her awake, there was no one on the pillow beside of her to share it with. There were no warm hands to reach for and press against her stomach to feel the way the tiny life inside of her moved and kicked. Her throat threatened to close on her when she thought of how happy Robin would be to experience such a thing. She was sure his blue eyes would light up and his mouth would break into the widest of smiles and he'd be entirely enthralled even though he had experienced it before with Roland.

"I feel you, little thief," She murmured out loud at the considerably more noticeable movement, reaching down to her belly to rub her fingers against the side where she felt the pressure. The baby wasn't big enough for the movements to be painful but she was sure that if it remained this active when she was further along that it might cause some discomfort. "You certainly have the energy of a Locksley, don't you?" She smiled faintly, finding herself talking to the child more when she was alone.

It hadn't been an easy thing for her to accept, despite the fact she'd craved having this experience her entire life. She had wanted nothing more than to have a house full of children with her stableboy and when she found love with Robin again she sorely regretted making herself unable to conceive. Watching her sister have a piece of Robin had been a tough pill to swallow and she couldn't say she didn't still resent her for it at times, but she loved her niece and kept the past where it belonged.

When the Evil Queen had pointed out the fact that her breasts had increased in size and her fitted dresses were somewhat snug around the waist, fear instantly spread throughout her body. She mentally calculated her last period with a sense of dread but proceeded to deny that it could even be a possibility. The Queen had pushed the issue, offering to simply wave her palm over Regina's abdomen to see if that may be the answer but she vehemently denied.

Regina reassured her that it couldn't be possible and had instead focused on recruiting Henry to help the Queen go to a place where she could find a fresh start. The Queen seemed to accept the fact that the idea of a pregnancy was not a reality Regina was prepared to face just a few months after Robin's death and did not mention it further. Still, Regina had seen the knowing glance the Queen gave her midsection before locking eyes with her in their final goodbye.

It wasn't until a few days following the Queen's departure that Regina faced her fear and allowed her palm to glow with purple magic. She had sat down on the edge of this very bed, taking a deep breath before running her glowing fingers over her abdomen. A choked sob escaped her when the magic allowed her to feel the quick, fluttering heartbeat of her baby against her palm. The knowledge that she carried a product of their love, the love she lost, made her fragile heart split wide open once more.

The onslaught of emotions that came with carrying the child of a man she still grieved had left her feeling as raw as she had right after he died. Everything she thought she had dealt with already came back to her tenfold and she spent the following days avoiding everyone, breaking things, screaming and crying and truly grieving. Grieving for the love she finally found and then lost. Grieving for the life they could've had together. Grieving for her child who would never get to meet their father.

It wasn't fucking fair. None of it was. Losing Robin almost broke her but she had forced herself to move forward. She had promised herself she would not backslide. She had declared that she was going to start a new story and remain hopeful it would have a better ending. She swore she would continue to do good. She had taken the beating life had dealt her and she tried to remain positive. But this? Finding out that life had finally given her something she yearned for, a little piece of the man that it had ripped away from her, well it had felt like a slap in the face.

"I'm sorry," She whispered as she rubbed her bump, thinking back on that dreadful week, "I'm sorry that you were ever met with anything but joy over your existence," She swallowed hard as she talked to her child, "I just...I was so angry. I have wanted you for so long, and your father, he would've been so happy, he would've wanted you so much-"

Regina swallowed down the tears that threatened to spill at the thought of him, "It wasn't that I didn't want you, I was just so heartbroken. I had just begun to piece my life back together and then you...you certainly surprised me," Her soft smile made a tear spill from where they pooled in her eyes and she bit down on her bottom lip, "But you, you and your big brother are what keep me going. You are going to be so loved."

As if on cue, she heard a soft knock on the door and she pushed her hands on the mattress, scooting up against the headboard, "Come in-"

"I didn't know if you were awake or not," Henry smiled, his gangly teenage frame still clad in pajamas as he made his way over to her bed.

"Mhm, just being lazy," She smiled warmly, pulling back the covers for him and quickly swiping the tear from her face so he wouldn't notice.

"Mom you're growing another human, I don't think you staying in bed ten minutes past eight on a Sunday is exactly lazy," He laughed and plopped down beside of her, pulling up the covers before leaning in and resting his head on her shoulder. "However, I am starving."

"Oh, so you do have an ulterior motive," Regina chuckled, wrapping her right arm around his shoulders and pulling him into her side, "I should've known," She smirked and pressed a kiss to his hair before resting her head against his, "What are we thinking? Pancakes?"

"Why don't we go to Granny's for breakfast? My treat," He lifted his head to look at her with a grin, "What?"

"I know your summer job at the library does not pay enough to feed both the appetite of a teenage boy and a pregnant woman," Regina teased though her chest ached with warmth at what a caring young man she'd raised, "I will agree to go to Granny's only if you let me pay-"

"Mom-" He raised an eyebrow, "Granny's prices have not raised since the eighties and while someone should probably tell her she can charge more, it kinda works out in my favor."

"Henry," She laughed and matched his raised eyebrow, "I'm serious. Don't you have a date with Violet tonight? Save your money for that-"

"You mean you finally approve of her?" Henry grinned at her testy expression.

"I never disapproved of her. I can't say I was a fan of her dragging you to New York city-"

"Mom, you know that wasn't her-"

"Not to mention the way she has you all googly eyed and day dreaming and distracted-" Regina continued to tease before letting out a rich laugh at the good humored groan he gave, "Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing. If we don't go get something to eat soon your sibling may kick me to death-"

"Are they kicking now?" Henry's eyes lit up and he sat up straighter, looking down at her bump curiously.

She smiled softly, finding it easy to acknowledge and share the baby with Henry. He was her baby, after all. Henry had been her entire heart from the moment she adopted him and he knew her better than anyone. When it came to him she was soft and vulnerable and the truest form of herself without fear.

"I don't know if they're exactly kicking, but I can feel them moving-" Regina nodded, "Rolling and pressing. They seem to really like the morning-" She smiled and ran her hands over her bump to feel for the soft hardness, "Here, press your hand here-"

Henry excitedly reached out and pushed his hand against the side of her abdomen and waited, staring at it intensely until he felt movement, "Holy crap! That's-" He looked up at her with wide eyes, "That's so weird. I mean, weird in a good way but-"

She beamed at his reaction and heart threatened to explode as she watched him experience feeling the baby move. Never in a million curses would she have believed she'd not only have a son as wonderful as Henry but that she'd also get to experience carrying a child. It seemed that something new each day left her struck by the reality and she felt guilty that she let fear dampen the experience in the beginning.

"Trust me, I know," She took a deep breath and looked at her son knowingly, vowing silently to try to push her fear and grief aside to make room for cherishing these moments, "Feeling them makes it all the more real."

"I'm excited, Mom."

"Me too."

* * *

"Neal and I are going to breakfast at Emma's," Snow looked up from packing a diaper bag on the kitchen table when David made his way down the stairs. The statement didn't seem like an invitation and he noted that she was already fully dressed as was Neal who crawled around her feet on the floor. He gave his son a smile before Neal crawled furiously for the living room and David proceeded to the counter for some assistance in waking up.

He noted she was watching him for a response and frowned, glancing down at his grey tee and pajama pants and ran a hand through his bed hair, "Some notice would be nice next time. I need a shower-"

"So you don't want to go?" She raised an eyebrow and pushed a stack of diapers down into the bag.

"I just woke up," He sighed and reached for a coffee mug from the cabinet, "I think I'll sit this one out."

" _David_ , she's married to Killian and that's not going to change anytime soon. You need to get over it already-"

"Snow, I am well aware who our daughter decided to marry. I walked her down the aisle to Killian despite my good sense telling me not to," He groaned and glanced up at the ceiling as he pressed his hands against the counter. _It was too early for this_. "But this is my only free day and I kind of just want to spend it at home."

"Are you still irritated that I made you go with Regina last weekend?" She sighed and bent over to pick up a few of Neal's toys that were scattered on the floor.

"What? No, I'm just saying-" He turned and leaned back against the counter, "I'd like to be home. There's some work I'd like to get done around the barn if we still want to get horses like we had planned."

The answer seemed to please her and she nodded, scooping up Neal from the floor, "Did you hear that Neal? Daddy is going to fix the barn so we can get horsies-"

"Horsies!" Neal chirped with a one tooth grin, causing them to both laugh and share a brief but genuine smile.

"You never told me how it went with the class-" Snow perked up then, turning to sit Neal on the table top to put his shoes on him, "How did Regina do? I tried to call her this week but she only said she was too busy at work to meet up."

"She was fine," He nodded in amusement at the thought of Regina's surliness and turned to pour himself a mug of coffee, "I could tell she was anxious about the whole thing but she actually kept her temper in check. It's still amazing to see how much she's changed sometimes. Can you imagine the old Regina doing something like that?"

"Absolutely not," Snow laughed, "But that was mostly the Evil Queen. I'm seeing more and more of the Regina I once knew these days. She was so warm and sweet when I first met her. I think this baby will help bring more of that back."

"Yeah, I agree," David nodded and thought back on the class. Regina had agreed to go, had forced herself out of her comfort zone and faced her reality head on. He'd seen her take on enemies and defend the town against threats, but that came easily to her. Dealing with her emotional turmoil and fear of loss was an entirely different challenge for the woman who had spent years avoiding love completely. "I don't know how I would've handled a blow like that. When we were under the sleeping curse and wondering if that was the way it would be forever, I couldn't bring myself to even think about what it would be like raising Neal alone."

"I know," Snow shook her head, "I mean, she raised Henry alone for the most part but facing a first time pregnancy and everything that comes with it-" She sighed, "We really need to be there for her."

"We will be," He nodded and took a sip of his coffee as he turned around, watching her pick up Neal from the table.

"I mean it. I never thought I'd be sharing my husband with the queen, but-" Snow raised a brow and laughed, "You'll need to help out with certain things Robin would've done like putting together the crib and moving the furniture for the nursery and baby proofing the house-"

"Can't she do that with magic?" He asked absentmindedly and earned a frown from his wife.

"That's not the point, David," She chided and rolled her eyes, "It's all about having someone to do those things with. Emma and I will be helping out as much as we can but Henry's still a little young for the heavy lifting and what other man would she let in her house? Killian?" Snow's eyes widened, "She still barely acknowledges his existence. Besides, I know you and I are still trying to...find the new normal here and you're always looking for an excuse to be elsewhere. At least this way it's for a good reason."

"Snow, come on," He sighed and crossed his arms after setting his coffee down, "You can't say passive aggressive stuff like that and us not address it."

"At least if you're helping Regina I know where you are," Snow shrugged and frowned.

"I thought we talked about this-" He shook his head slightly, "This is what you wanted, right? To finally settle down and live life without a sense of impending doom. To have some independence from one another for the first time. To figure out who we are and what we want again."

"But you have to admit that lately it just feels like we are on different pages when it comes to that-" She frowned with an almost defeated expression, "We don't feel like us anymore."

"Babe, did we ever really know what 'us' meant here? Since the time we woke up from the curse we've been on the run, defending the town against enemies and just trying to survive-" David frowned, "We'll figure this out it's...it's just going to take some time, okay?"

"...Okay."

* * *

"So where do you plan to take Violet tonight?" Regina took a sip and smirked behind her mug at the way her teenager scrunched up his face at her question. She was relieved to find he was still boyish and awkward at the fact his mother knew he had a crush which at least gave her hope he would not get too serious when he was still so young. Emma was more lenient when it came to Henry with girls and she supposed it was because she had more of this world's experience when it came to dating compared to Regina with next to none.

"The movies," Henry shrugged with a smile.

"You mean people really do that?" Regina raised an eyebrow and saw Henry's look of confusion, "What? I thought that only happened in those classic movies we watch. I didn't know people still did that."

"It's kind of like, Dating 101," He laughed and shook his head, "You never went on a date to the movies before?"

"I have not," She smiled and set her mug down, cupping it with both hands to absorb the warmth, "I can't say I've really been on a real date."

"You're kidding, not even with Sheriff Graham?" He raised an eyebrow, seeing her lips part, "I was a little kid mom, not stupid. He was always around."

"He wasn't always around," She replied with a testy tone he simply smiled at, "No, Henry. I didn't go on any dates with Graham. He was just a friend."

"What about Robin?"

"Well...in the beginning there was his wife's return and after that there was always something happening that didn't leave much time for dating," She shrugged and thought back on their time together, "I suppose we did come close. I'm not sure if you would call it a date. But we did spend time together one evening with wine and a fire. Would that be considered a date?"

"Did you go out anywhere?"

"No."

"Then I don't know that it's technically a date," He shrugged contemplatively, "But it could be different for adults, I guess."

"Could be," She smirked as she watched his wheels turning, always finding it amusing how his mind worked. He was a thoughtful and inquisitive child, always asking questions from the moment he could form a sentence.

"What about when you were younger?" Henry asked curiously.

"When I was younger?" She laughed a little at the question and leaned back against the booth thoughtfully, "Well...Daniel and I didn't have much time alone. My mother kept a very strict schedule for me. We did have secret...picnics," Her eyes darted up to see if Henry read anything more into her slight hesitation to find the right term. She did not need her teenage son realizing that she used to sneak out at seventeen years old to have sex in the woods. "But that was it. She did not allow me to leave the estate unless I was with her and after Daniel I was married to your great-grandfather."

Henry frowned slightly and she braced herself for the next question, not knowing where his mind was taking him. "How old were you when you married King Leopold? Was there nobody in between him and Daniel?"

"No...we - I was married to Leopold soon after Daniel passed," She said carefully, not wanting to give him too much insight on that traumatic time in her life. Despite how she had been wronged by Cora and Leopold forcing her into marriage, they were still the boys grandparents. "I had just turned eighteen when we married."

"Oh..." Henry looked at her for a moment and her throat tightened at the empathy in his eyes. He was old enough now to understand the implications of an unwanted marriage between a heartbroken teenage girl and a man three times her age. She didn't want to explain it to him and she didn't need to with how mature and observant he was. "And after the King died, did you love anybody else?"

"No..." She glanced down at the mug in her hands. "I was too angry and too heartbroken and lost in the darkness to let myself love again. I was hellbent on revenge at that point." _She'd leave out the part where she engaged in plenty of casual sex._

"So you didn't fall in love again until Robin?" His brows knitted together.

"I'm afraid not, at least not romantic love," She said and gave him a warm smile, "But I did fall in love with you the second I laid eyes on you."

Henry grinned and shook his head, "I'm not sure why, I was an ugly baby."

"Henry Daniel Mills, you were no such thing," Her mouth dropped with a laugh, reaching out to playfully smack the top of his hand. "You were adorable. You had these big eyes and pudgy cheeks. I couldn't believe you were mine."

"I know, I was kidding. I'm pretty cute huh?" He grinned mischievously, "What do you think this baby will look like?" Henry asked, looking back at her curiously as if he were giving her the opportunity to talk about the baby and become excited for it, but only if she were ready.

She appreciated his gentle inquiry and realized that they hadn't discussed the new addition to their family as most people normally did. They hadn't hypothesized who the baby would look or act like or which room should be the nursery or how they'd like to decorate it. Henry had only discussed the baby when she brought up the subject and she knew he was simply being considerate to the fact she was still sad that Robin would not be a part of these conversations. Still, it was past time that they had these kinds of talks about the new member of the family who would be arriving in four short months.

"Well, I know my genes will likely be more dominant," Regina smiled as she considered it, running her finger around the rim of her coffee mug mindlessly, "But I'm hoping the baby will have Robin's eyes. They were so blue and expressive. And maybe his dimples," her own smile widened at the the image in her mind before she glanced back at Henry.

"Are we gonna find out if it's a boy or a girl?" He asked hopefully and Regina felt a little guilty that she hadn't considered Henry would want to be a part of that. "Half of me wants it to be a boy so I can teach him cool stuff like video games and dinosaurs and sword fighting, but half of me hopes it's a girl because I think I'd like looking out for a little sister and I kinda like the thought of being the only son," He grinned playfully.

"You know a little girl could be just as into video games and dinosaurs and sword fighting," Regina played devil's advocate with a smirk and he laughed.

"True, if she's anything like the rest of the women in this family she'll do it just to prove she can," Henry laughed, "How much longer until we can find out?"

"Well, we could find out at any time," Regina bit her lip with an unsure smile, "I...I hadn't given much thought to finding out the sex and I didn't even think it was something you'd be interested in knowing, I'm sorry Henry."

"What? Of course I am," He nodded quickly before his expression turned knowing, "I mean, if you want to. It's up to you, Mom."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Regina replied and allowed a small bit of excitement to bloom in her chest at the idea of knowing. She had accepted this child's existence and was already madly in love with it but she had not allowed herself to truly become excited yet. There was still so much time left for something to go wrong and her instinct was to keep the reality of this child's impending arrival to herself until she was sure it was safe. Until the child was in her arms and she knew it could not be ripped away like almost everything good in her life had been. "I have an appointment next week for an ultrasound. Would you like to attend?"

"Obviously," Henry gave an excited grin before looking up when the bells on the diner door rang, "Grandpa!" He raised a hand and waved, causing Regina to look up from their conversation to see Charming coming through the door.

"Hey kid," David smiled when he clocked him and started to walk towards their booth, "Hey Regina, practiced that breathing?" He grinned and briefly touched her shoulder.

"Ha ha," She raised an eyebrow and suppressed a grin before picking up her coffee mug. "Where is the rest of the Charming army?"

"Emma and Killian's," David smiled and put his hands on his hips in his signature Charming stance. She had to stifle a smile at how heroic he appeared without even trying between his superman stance and his sheriff's badge and the sheer size of him that only added to his authoritative energy. "What are you two up to today?"

"Well, I woke up starving and talked Mom into coming here to get some breakfast instead of cooking," Henry gave Regina a grin before looking back up at his grandpa, "And luckily the baby makes her a little more lenient when it comes to dining out these days. Why don't you sit with us?"

"You sure? I was just gonna grab something quick," David glanced back at the counter full of patrons and raised an eyebrow, "Guess it'll probably be a little bit of a wait. You two don't mind?" He looked back between the both of them and Regina shook her head quickly.

"No, please, sit," Regina nodded reassuringly and Henry slid to the side to make room for him. "What's on your agenda, Charming? Not in the mood for dining with your new son?" She smirked.

"Son-in-law," David corrected with a quirk of his brow and let out a soft chuckle as he sat down beside of his grandson and leaned his forearms against the table, "No, I didn't get much done at the farm last weekend-"

"I didn't ask you to-" She cut in quickly, thinking he was referencing the class and immediately becoming defensive.

"What did I miss?" Henry raised an eyebrow.

"Your mother is referring to last Saturday when I accompanied her to a class for the baby-" David raised an eyebrow with a hint of a smile before glancing back to Regina, "But that's not what I meant. After that class I got called to the station and didn't get out of there until late and then the next day I had Neal so Snow could get her classroom ready for summer classes. So, like I was saying, I didn't get anything done and we've still got a lot to do at the farm-" He explained and smiled when he saw the tension leave Regina's shoulders when she realized he was not holding anything above her head.

"Snow said you were mostly unpacked and settled in," Regina asked, "Do you still need help?"

"We are, with the house," He laughed and gave a good humored roll of his eyes, "But the land is pretty run down and the barn needs some work."

"Is Prince Charming about to go Old McDonald on us?" She smirked and took delight in his baffled expression.

"Old McWho?" He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Henry for help.

"It's an nursery rhyme from this land," Henry explained with a laugh at his mother's jesting, "You shoulda heard mom sing it to me when I was younger. She learned it from the television and always got the words mixed up-"

"I did not," Regina let her mouth drop in a laugh and mocked hurt, making David smile at the relaxed way she reacted to her son's teasing. It was such a contrast to the snippy way she reacted to anyone else who poked fun at her.

"Old McDonald never had a cricket, Mom," Henry grinned and they both erupted in laughter, causing David to laugh even though he had no clue why it was funny. Watching the two of them laugh out loud at their own inside joke was amusing enough.

"Leave me alone and let your Grandpa finish-" Regina narrowed her eyes playfully at her son before looking back to David, her eyes still full of warmth and the easy smile still on her lips. It was so very different to the expression she'd reserved for him in the past and it was nice to see the soft side of her.

"Well," David smirked at the both of them before shaking his head, "I was just saying I wanted to get the farm in working order. At least enough to have some horses."

"I can help," Henry immediately piped in, "I want to learn how to ride the way you guys did back in the Enchanted Forest."

"Well I've got a good bit of work to do getting the stables in the barn ready and the fencing fixed before we can even get to that part kid," David smiled at Regina over Henry's excitement before glancing back to him, "But if your Mom says it's okay then you can come over this summer and help me and maybe we can get to that part faster."

"I think that would be a great summer project for you," Regina smiled at Henry with a nod. She quite liked the idea of Henry having someone like David to expose him to the outdoors and working with his hands and taking care of animals. Her younger self was quite adventurous and enjoyed exploring and getting her hands dirty but she couldn't say it was her cup of tea now. "Of course you'll have to run it by Emma."

"Hey, she's my kid, she has to listen to me," David teased with a wink towards Henry, "You're hired kid."

"I don't think that's how it works," Regina reminded with a quirk of her brows, "Between that and your job at the library you'll have quite a full schedule and Emma will be responsible for your transportation during half of that time."

"Can't you guys just poof him back and forth?" David shrugged, making Henry laugh.

"Are you going to pick him up from the Town Hall when Emma messes it up again?" She asked, being reminded of the story Snow admitted to about Emma's prior mishap with cold medicine and transporting their son.

"You told her about that?" David's mouth dropped accusingly at Henry.

"No!" Henry's own mouth dropped and they both turned wide eyes back to Regina.

"You must've forgotten," Regina leaned back in her booth and picked up her coffee mug with one hand, giving her best Evil Queen stare, "I know everything that happens in this town."

David watched her lean back and square her shoulders in an attempt to channel her old persona, except this time her free hand rested on her baby bump which immediately ruined any scary effect she tried to give. He broke into a wide grin when he lifted his gaze from her baby bump and she glanced down to see what he had been looking at, watching her try not to laugh herself when she realized how harmless she must've seemed. "Snow blabbed, didn't she?" He pressed his lips together to hold in a laugh.

"Entirely," Regina smirked, causing Henry and David to laugh. "Let's all agree that poofing my son around is off of the table."

"What's off the table?" Granny looked over her glasses as she sauntered over to their booth, "Sorry Charming, you snuck in on me. Are you all ready to order?"

Regina bit back a retort that they were more than ready after their long wait and simply looked at David and Henry in question, "Know what you want?"

"Pancakes!" Henry nodded, "With a side of bacon and eggs. Oh, and the hash-browns!"

"A working man's breakfast, I like it," David smiled proudly and leaned back in his booth, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'll have the same."

Regina suppressed an eye roll at the way the two of them acted like eating three plates of food somehow spoke to their masculinity. Henry was at least was a teenager and susceptible to the stereotypical ideas of what made him a man. Charming? _He was just an idiot._

"And you Madam Mayor?" Granny looked over her glasses at her when she glanced up.

She smirked and gave a shrug, "Make that three, please."

"Coming right up," The wolf nodded with a subtle grin and took the menus from their table on her way back toward the kitchen. Regina had always kept a strict diet since the time she was a teenager thanks to Cora's instruction and it was something that carried over into this land. Most people had never truly seen her eat much of anything except for Henry who delighted in the rare times she would agree to burgers and cheese fries with him.

"What? I'm eating for two," Regina shrugged at Henry's smirk and David's surprised expression. "And he's a growing boy. What's your excuse?" She teased David and didn't know why she found the playful banter so rewarding. In the past they'd been unable to speak more than a sentence to one another without erupting into insults and arguments. Now she found she quite liked the back and forth with him and was surprised at how quick witted he could actually be.

"I like food," He shrugged simply and tilted his chin up in a mockingly defiant smile. "I miss Snow being pregnant. It was the only time someone's appetite actually kept up with mine and I could justify eating six meals a day."

"So this is where you and Miss Swan get it from," Regina glanced at Henry with a good humored eye roll.

"Hey, I didn't get this tall and handsome by starving myself," David gloated and chuckled at the way Regina's brow arched as if she were entirely over his obnoxious behavior but a smile still played on her lips.

Instead of responding to him she simply turned her head towards the kitchen, "Granny, please make David's to-go."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To give you an idea, this is the timeline I applied to the season 6 big events (with tweaks to fit this plot):
> 
> -Regina conceives and Robin dies in January.  
> -Separates from The Evil Queen, Wish Robin's visit happens and EQ sent for fresh start from Feb to March.  
> -The Black Fairy's curse and final battle happening around April.  
> -Happy endings by start of May.  
> -This story starts almost two months later in mid June when Regina is around 5 months.

"It's about time you opened the bloody door-" Zelena huffed, arms struggling to keep hold of the overflowing tote she carried, "Are you going to let me in before I collapse?"

"What in the hell?" Regina grumbled and opened the door wider, stepping aside to let the redhead stumble in and set the rubber tote down with a thud, "How can clothes made for humans less than twenty pounds still weigh so much?" She huffed and straightened up with a hand to her back in a pained expression.

"Speaking of _small humans_ , where exactly is your daughter?" Regina raised a skeptical eyebrow at her sister and crossed her arms.

"Safely in her car-seat-" Zelena rolled her eyes at the way Regina's eyes widened, "Oh please I left the bloody AC on and it was only for a second while I lugged this box in," She flicked her wrist, transporting Robyn's car-seat into the home and at her feet when the green cloud dispersed.

"Remind me never to let you babysit," Regina shook her head at her sisters relaxed parenting style, bending down to push the visor of the car-seat down and coo at her niece. Robyn had been in no real danger but Zelena was still much more nonchalant than Regina had ever cared to be with Henry.

"Need I remind you that not too long ago you asked me to take your son to New York and raise him should anything happen to you?" Zelena asked smugly.

"Yes it was the same day you nearly did away with me and my unborn child when you crashed into half of Storybrooke's garbage cans," Regina retorted and unbuckled Robyn before scooping her up with a bright smile. The baby was filling out, showing more hints of her father's features with each passing month and it made Regina's heart ache in both a melancholy and hopeful way.

"Well I'm sorry but I wasn't aware you had a bun in the oven the day you tried to teach me to drive a stick shift," Zelena's eyes widened. "I mean _really_ , aren't you supposed to be the responsible one? Yet there you were, letting me sling you around the passenger seat of that death trap and then getting yourself into a street brawl with the Dark Fairy."

"It's not exactly like I planned to fight Fiona that day," Regina rolled her eyes. "And her magic didn't harm me."

"Yes, well, we only know that for certain thanks to Snow White making you go to the hospital and get checked afterward."

Regina let out a breath at the memory of that chaotic day. Not even a minute after her sister sent the Dark Fairy flying over the hood of the station wagon did Snow come running onto the street, squawking that Regina needed to go the hospital and make sure the baby had not been harmed. Within minutes Zelena's eyes had nearly bugged out of her head at the news and she joined in with Snow's harping that she did need to get checked. David ran to get his truck and pull it around for them to take her and Hook had called Emma despite Regina's argument that Fiona's magic barely touched her.

Within the hour Regina was grumpily sitting in a hospital bed with wires attached to her, waiting for Dr. Whale to arrive while the rest of them fussed over her until she banished them to the waiting room. Only when Emma arrived with Henry did Regina unlock the door with magic and allow her son in. He had been so concerned and confused as to what was happening, seeing that she seemed outwardly harm free and not knowing why they rushed there. Emma had told him he needed to speak with Regina directly and she had invited him to sit in the bed with her, apologizing to him for not telling him sooner as she broke the news he would be a big brother.

To her relief he had been nothing but supportive and happy which calmed her and made her more cooperative when Whale finally arrived. Henry asked to stay with her for the ultrasound and she agreed despite the fact she was terrified of what they would find, _or more so what they wouldn't_. After some resistance she barely granted Whale permission to touch her and snarled at the cold gel he applied to her stomach, but her aggravation was soon forgotten. She didn't make it a habit of crying in front of anyone but tears of relief had immediately spilled down her cheeks when they heard her baby's heartbeat for the first time. She hadn't realized until that moment how much she already loved the child she had only weeks ago found out existed.

Regina nuzzled her nose against Robyn's at the warmth of the memory and delighted in the way the baby smiled in response, "There you are. Aunt Regina has missed you."

"I see I am now chopped liver compared to my daughter," Zelena joked dryly, turning to start shoving the large tote towards Regina's living room, "And here I am the one who lugged this collection of miniature human clothing all of the way from the outskirts of Storybrooke."

"What on earth is your mother rattling on about?" Regina raised an eyebrow at the baby as she held her against her side. The little girl mostly took after Zelena, inheriting her piercing blue eyes and face shape, but she could still see her Robin in the child's high cheek bones and sandy hair. "We should go see what she's up to before she breaks something, _hm_?"

"You know I can hear you, right?" Zelena looked up at her pointedly before plopping down on the couch.

" _Sure Zelena, you can rearrange my living room_ ," Regina muttered and squinted at the coffee table already pushed to the side and the tote in front of the couch. "What's this?"

"Robyn's clothing that she's outgrown. I thought considering you did purchase half of her wardrobe you may want some of it back. A lot of it hasn't even been worn," Zelena shrugged, "You know, just me being a thoughtful sister as always."

"Hmph," Regina gave a good humored roll of her eyes and sat down beside of her, letting Robyn down onto the floor when she wiggled to get free. She smiled when the baby gripped the tote and pulled herself up, tiny legs going into motion as she began to toddle unsteadily towards the box of toys Regina kept for her there.

"I can't believe she's walking already," Regina smiled and thought briefly how proud Robin would be to see his daughter motoring around her living room. He had been so concerned over how they would make the difficult family dynamic work and he knew Regina struggled with finding her role in his new baby's life. She carried guilt that she did not try harder to show him that she could accept his child and bond with her while he was alive to witness it. There just hadn't been time. _There was never enough time._

"She will be turning a year old before we know it," the redhead smiled proudly, "With our genes I expect she'll be driving a car soon."

"Any sign of magic yet?" Regina glanced at Zelena curiously.

"No," Her sister exhaled through her nose, "I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved at the fact. On one hand I quite like the idea of teaching a daughter of my own how to use magic but then again with my history I'm not sure I want to be responsible for shaping the magic of another Mills sorceress."

"I know what you mean," Regina sighed, "Our mother didn't give us the best example of raising a child with magic. _Or raising a child at all_. Thankfully Henry was always good-natured and easy, for the most part."

"Yes, but the one you're cooking has our genes."

"I don't need reminded of that, Zelena."

"I'm not provoking you, Regina. I'm only saying that I understand that it feels like an enormous responsibility to raise a child with magic and to set them on the right path. Especially when you don't feel qualified to do so," Her sister sighed and leaned back into the sofa.

"It is an enormous responsibility but we have seen where we went wrong. I think we're better than anyone to prevent that same thing from happening to our own children," Regina shook her head, telling herself more than her sister. She knew if Robin were here he'd be reassuring her of this and putting his trust in her. She had to hold onto the belief in herself that he helped instill. "We can teach them what Cora didn't teach us and give them the love we always wanted from her but did not receive. We made a choice when we gave into darkness but we also were at a disadvantage considering the darkness is what raised us. We did not have any healthy role models or guidance or people looking out for us like our children will."

"God you sound like a mushy Charming," Zelena muttered and Regina scoffed in response though she knew her sister was only deflecting from the serious turn to the conversation.

"We will figure it out, Zelena," Regina nodded and watched with a smile as Robyn began to pull every toy out of the box and sling it down to the floor, "Hopefully, but she seems to be taking after you already."

"Very funny," her sister snorted and began unpacking the baby clothing, "Are you ever going to find out if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"Henry is going with me this week and I'm going to have Whale tell me," the brunette nodded and turned her attention to the baby clothing in front of her, excitement niggling her abdomen at the thought.

"Well most of this is gender neutral but sort through it once you know. Keep what you want and donate what you don't."

"You don't want any of it back?" 

"Do I _what_ -" Zelena let out an amused laugh, "You mean - are you asking if I, _Zelena Mills_ , plan to go through stretch marks and getting fat and sleepless nights and breastfeeding again? Did I give you a head injury when we hit those rubbish bins?"

Regina laughed at what polar opposites they were and simply shook her head in amusement. She would've had a whole house full of children had life gone her way. There was nothing more special to her than being a mother and the sacrifice came naturally and without thought. With each passing day it was beginning to sink in how lucky she was to get to experience it all over again.

* * *

Regina smiled contentedly as she sat at her mayoral desk, flipping through paperwork in preparation of the Town Hall meeting when she felt the gentle movement in her abdomen. She reached down and put her free hand on the growing midsection that she would soon be forced to accommodate by purchasing dreaded maternity clothes. A glance at the clock told her it was well past noon and she smirked at the reminder her child seemed to be giving her.

"I know, I know-" She gently patted her bump, "We are hungry and I need to take a break. I felt your message loud and clear, you impatient little Locksley."

"You on the phone?" Emma's question startled her and she looked up with a squint of annoyance at the blonde who stood at her open office door. "Shit, sorry-" The blonde's eyes darted to the phone on Regina's desk when she didn't respond, "Are you on another conference call?" She whispered with exaggerated movements of her mouth.

"No, Swan," Regina raised a brow at how ridiculous Emma looked and put down the paperwork she held, "I'm not on a call, you may come in."

"Thank god," Emma walked forward and practically fell down in the chair across from her desk and dropped their lunch on top of Regina's paperwork, "I still have PTSD from that one time I interrupted a call and you almost killed me."

"It was an important call that had me very aggravated. Besides, if I had really wanted that fireball to hit you, it would have," She justified before quickly picking up the brown paper bag, "Really, Emma? Must you sit down this sack of grease directly onto my files?" She fussed, clearing a spot on her desk for their makeshift picnic.

"Oh, forgive me Madam Mayor," Emma humored her with a smirk, "I'm _soooo_ sorry I was being thoughtful and decided to get you lunch from Granny's when I got my own. I guess I can find someone else to eat these cheese fries you always steal off of Henry's plate on Wednesday's."

"Not if you value your life," Regina joked dryly, beginning to unpack their lunches. She would've been annoyed and likely mistaken it for pity had anyone else surprised her with lunch, but she and Emma had already made it somewhat of a habit during the work week before her life fell apart. Once they had agreed to share custody of Henry it had been a way for them to fill each other in on his school work and after school activities or even bring something he'd forgotten at the other's house. Neither wanted or needed to admit that they also enjoyed each other's company and simply wanted to share lunch with a friend.

"So what's this about you agreeing to let our kid hang out at some weird old guy's barn?" Emma raised an eyebrow as she unwrapped the burger and smirked when a laugh escaped the brunette. They were two of the few people in Storybrooke who truly grasped how ridiculous Emma's parents could be and they never tired of sharing jokes at their expense.

"For some reason our son seems to like the weird old guy," Regina played along as she gave her hand a subtle twist and provided them with two glasses of ice water.

"Really? You couldn't just give us bottled water? You're so extra," Emma smirked and shook her head.

"Single use plastics are bad for the environment, Emma. Have you learned nothing from your son's school curriculum?"

"You can just magic the plastic out of existence when you're done-"

"That's not the point," Regina raised a scolding eyebrow to which Emma rolled her eyes in fashion suspiciously similar to their son, "But yes, I did tell Henry I was alright with him spending some days helping David this summer. The library only needs him once a week now and it wouldn't hurt him to spend time with a positive male role model instead of playing video games or spending every day with that _girl_."

"You mean Violet?" Emma asked, clearly amused. "His _girlfriend_?"

"Let's not go putting labels on it and encouraging him, Miss Swan," Regina squinted in disdain which only made the blonde tilt her head back and laugh.

"Miss Swan? I bring up Henry's girlfriend and you're going all Madam Mayor on me?" Emma teased and delighted in the disapproving stare she received before Regina looked back down to stab at her cheese fries with a fork. "I don't know what's funnier. Your reaction to Henry's crush or the fact that you, Regina Mills, just called my dad a positive male role model."

"Well I certainly did not mean to compliment Charming," Regina scoffed, "I just mean that it won't hurt him to get outside and spend some time with someone like David who may just be able to teach him a few things that we haven't. He could use guidance from a father figure at this age."

"You do know he spends like half of his time at my house...where my husband lives...his step-dad-"

"I'm aware of that. Which brings me back to my point that Henry needs a good male role model," Regina deadpanned with a quirk of her dark brow before taking a bite of her cheese fries that she had carefully cut with her fork and knife before staring back at Emma.

"You're something else, you know that?" Emma laughed at Regina's attitude and then rolled her eyes at the prissy way the woman approached French fries, glad to see some of her spunk was beginning to return. Although she knew it was understandable, the brunette had seemed too quiet and defeated for her liking since Robin's death. She had worried that the loss had permanently dulled Regina's spirit, but since announcing and seemingly coming to terms with her pregnancy, she appeared to be returning to herself.

"So I've been told, Swan," Regina flashed a playful smile then, "I assume you don't have any real issue with Henry spending his days with your father this summer and that you're only using the subject to goad me?"

"You would be correct in that assumption," Emma nodded curtly and leaned up, plucking a cheese fry from Regina's container.

"Do you really feel stealing food from a pregnant witch is a good idea?" Regina sighed in exaggerated disgust even though she really didn't mind. It still felt so satisfying to have real friendships like this one that there wasn't much they could do to make her really angry anymore. _Or at least stay angry for long._ "Did you not get yourself fries?"

"Nope," Emma shook her head as if she had deprived herself before reaching into the second bag and smiling like a kid in the candy jar, "Tater-tots," She pulled out the container triumphantly. Regina could only shake her head and think of the similar way David and Henry reveled in their gluttonous appetites.

"Dear god, it really is genetic."

* * *

David watched his grandson raking out the empty stalls in the barn with a sense of contentment that their lives had calmed enough to do something so simple together. There was a period of time before the final battle that David had doubted his ability as a hero and father and protector. He had worried his family would never know peace or normalcy and he still found himself processing the fact that they had finally achieved it.

School had let out for the summer but Snow continued to teach summer classes a few days of the week and Belle watched Neal so David could work on the farm when he wasn't at the station. He hoped that both of them having jobs and goals to focus on would ease the tension between them and allow them to find the new independence and balance they'd been looking for.

Their love had been young in the Enchanted Forest and the kingdom they ran kept them united and occupied once they were finally able to be together. Everything had been fresh and exciting and the sheer fact that they had defeated the Evil Queen for that brief period of time gave them confidence in their relationship's ability to conquer all. They were encouraged by the fact they'd managed to always come back together up to the point Emma's birth and Regina's curse consuming them.

After the curse was broken and they remembered who they were it had been no time at all before they were back on the run. Except this time it wasn't running from the Evil Queen but with the Evil Queen, against the constant threats to their family and Storybrooke. The last five years had been a constant whirlwind that brought a multitude of challenges, personally and within their relationship. Different situations had shed light on problems between them but the next tragedy or disaster always provided a distraction. Snow White and Prince Charming were, for the most part, amazing in a crisis. They were a team, her bringing the heart and him bringing the backbone and they always overcame whatever they were up against.

They knew exactly who they were and their part to play when bad things happened. It had been all they knew for the majority of their time together. Someone or something had always tried pulling them apart or harming their family and the fight had been coming back together. It wasn't until there was no longer a fight that David began to realize that they had forgotten who they were without one. _Or had they ever really known?_

He shook his head at the nonsense, silently condemning his thoughts as he set down the hammer he'd been repairing the barn with and made his way over to the stall where Henry worked, "Looking good, kid. You're a natural at this stable-hand thing."

"I can't wait to get some actual horses in here," Henry straightened up and set the rake against the nearby stable wall, "Every good fairytale has a horse and I'm tired of just reading about them. I want to know what it feels like to _really_ know how to ride. But after Daniel came back mom always got a nervous look on her face when I mentioned the stables so I didn't want to ask her to take me back for lessons."

"Yeah that was pretty scary kid, but it'll be different this time around," David thought back on Regina's stable-boy's return a few years ago and shook his head. _That woman had really been put through it_. "This place just needs some work first. It's getting late though and we should probably call it a day. Emma said you're at Regina's tonight - is she picking you up or do you need a ride?"

"I told her you'd give me a ride," Henry said with an apologetic expression, "By the time she gets home from work now she's tired even though she won't admit to it and still insists on cooking dinner when I'm there," He shakes his head, "I didn't want her to have to come back out."

"It's no problem, kid," David nodded and appreciated Henry's thoughtfulness as they made their way out of the barn, "How is she doing? I mean she seemed to be in good spirits at the diner the other week but what's she like at home?"

"I can tell she's still sad and she gets upset at times, but it's less often. I think she's doing better," Henry nodded and exhaled quietly, "She seems to be letting herself get a little more excited about the baby. I'm going with her to her appointment tomorrow and she agreed to find out if it's a boy or a girl. I think she's coming around to everything in her own way...she was just scared at first."

"Understandable," He frowned as they parted ways and climbed into his truck, "I know she's stubborn about accepting help but let me know if there's things that need to be done around the house."

"I will," Henry nodded as he buckled his seat-belt, "She hasn't bought anything for the baby's room yet. When I asked her she said she would magic it all, but by the time she gets home from work I think she's too tired to use much magic."

"We'll all be there Wednesday for family dinner and I'm sure Snow will bring it up then. Maybe we can get a plan in place on who can do what to help," David nodded and put the truck in gear, pulling out onto the small gravel driveway that led to the main road as he silently considered everything Regina was juggling.

In the last five months she'd buried her soulmate, defeated enemies, fought curses, helped keep them safe, reconciled with her sister, maintained her job as mayor, and parented Henry, all while dealing with a pregnancy on her own. With the fierce façade she put up it was sometimes hard to remember that she was no longer the impenetrable Evil Queen but simply human. A human who had been through an extraordinary amount and was terrible at taking care of herself or admitting when she needed help. A human who did not have a partner to keep an eye on her or force her to slow down when she stubbornly overlooked herself.

Throughout everything she appeared untouchable to those who did not know her well enough to see behind the mask. He had been around both the Evil Queen and Regina enough now to know when she faltered. Her posture could be rigid, chin tilted up proudly and mouth spewing bold threats but there would still be a tiny flicker of fear in her dark eyes that one would never catch unless they'd been in as many life or death situations with the queen as he had. Despite how many times he'd seen that flicker of fear this year she had remained brave and found her footing and moved forward. It gave him a whole new appreciation for the person she was and he found himself wanting to step up for her. "What do you say we grab a pizza on the way, kid?"

* * *

Regina squinted at her laptop screen as she sat cross-legged on her living room sofa with a browser tab open for each of her favorite designer's websites. The fashion of this age was exponentially better than the stuffy ball gowns of the Enchanted Forest and she quite enjoyed browsing it. During her Evil Queen years she had at least incorporated fitted pants, bold necklines and long-tailed blazers that made the era's dress tolerable, but she still preferred the classic aesthetic of this worlds clothing over all.

Her bedroom closet homed three decades worth of designer clothing, shoes and accessories. She excelled at aesthetics and often mused that if she weren't mayor she would enjoy being a stylist and _god knows_ the people of this town could use one. Her love of beauty combined with the materialism of this world had quickly sucked her in during the curse when she searched for something to fill the void. Shopping for the finer things soon became a habit and the evolution of internet only made it easier to feed her growing collection. It also happened to be the tool she was prepared to use currently to save her pride.

Carrying a child was a glorious feeling aside from the occasional nausea and rapidly depleting energy. It was an experience she'd spent years grieving over having given up and she still couldn't believe that someone like her now housed something so precious. She was truly grateful for the experience and that both of them were in good health. _However_ , there was one physical aspect that her deep-seeded vanity struggled to accept: her ever-increasing size.

It neared two months since everyone's happy ending and her emotional turmoil had somewhat calmed as she began to accept her new reality. There was no longer the daily stress of an imminent threat to protect her family from. Anxiety no longer gripped her like it had following Robin's death and the three months of hell after. It had been an emotional roller coaster defeating Dr. Hyde, fighting the Evil Queen, bringing back Wish Robin, breaking the Charmings sleeping curse and trying to help Emma win the final battle against the Dark Fairy. Her once paralyzing and piercing pain over the loss of Robin had dulled to a steady undercurrent of sadness and an ache in her chest at reminders of him. Her hopelessness has eased and she was determined to make the most of her new start so she had taken better care herself in recent weeks.

The weight she had neglected to gain due to her stress in the beginning seemed to be slowly catching up with her and she could no longer zip her dresses or button her silk pajama tops comfortably. Logically she knew it was only the size of her breasts and stomach that had truly increased but she suspected her bottom and thighs had rounded some. She was fully aware that it was a ridiculously vain and entirely irrelevant thing to be concerned over during a time like this. Regardless, no amount of reasoning ever did extinguish the insecurity that crept up for the first time in _years_.

Cora had fussed over her figure since she was a pre-teen with warnings not to over-indulge and ruin the one thing she had to offer. Her mother treated her like livestock to be sold to the highest bidder but instead of _fattening her up_ she forced strict diet and exercise to ensure she was at peak appeal to a wealthy male suitor's appetite. Though it remained that no matter how hard she tried to perfect her physical image, her mother was never satisfied. There was always an inch at her midsection or on her hips or bottom that she could ' _stand to lose'_ and because of it Regina had formed an unhealthy relationship with her self-image.

However, it had not manifested as it normally would in most. She did not grow up to be self-conscious or unsure of the way she looked. Walking into a room and seeing heads turn to look at her did not make her nervous that people were making fun. She didn't need to be told that they stared because she was attractive. Regina _knew_ she was stunning. She knew because she worked endlessly to maintain her figure and polish her style and meticulously groom herself so that when the time came for her to be seen by others there was nothing left to fear.

Cora had been right. Seeing the way people reacted to her beauty taught her the power it wielded. It turned out to be one of her most used forms of manipulation as the Evil Queen. Her face and body were her greatest weapons and her dark makeup and extravagant clothing were her armor and shield. It was in those years that she fine-tuned the art of using her appearance for both intimidating others and hiding her true self from them.

When she came to Storybrooke her style changed to fit the land but it was still a mask to hide her vulnerability from the world. She wore professional business attire to give the impression of importance and hide from others how worthless she secretly felt. She chose absurdly expensive high heels to prove that she was not as cheap as she felt after a life of being objectified. She applied bold colored lipsticks so that people would focus on her lips instead of seeing the emptiness in her eyes.

Her style had softened within recent years as her need for the extra protection lessened. Through her redemption came learning to accept all parts of herself, past and present. Having family and friends who knew and loved her for who she really was had allowed her to slowly become more comfortable with exposing the woman behind the mask. She would always strive to look her best but it was now more for pride in her appearance rather than a necessary form of self defense. Still despite the evolution, her image had always been something she could control no matter what turmoil or curses or threats she went up against. At least it had been up until now.

Regina let out a warm chuckle at the wonderful reason her vanity was being put to the test and looked down at her rounded stomach, "Mommy is being silly, isn't she?" She hummed and rested her free hand on the bump as her other clicked through the websites she browsed.

"What are we thinking, little thief?" She sighed and looked at the new season's lines. "You'd really think they would have more options for maternity wear that didn't look so... _mom-ish_. If I wanted to dress like Snow White, I'd simply raid her closet," She smirked at her own joke, absentmindedly stroking fingers over her tummy as she talked to her child.

" _Ooh_ , what about this one?" She squinted at the screen and ignored the fact she likely needed to go for an eye check-up soon. "Now _this_ I can deal with. Classic lines, dark colors, and even enough room in the middle for you," She smirked at the collection she found that looked the least like actual maternity wear.

"I would just use my magic to tailor my current wardrobe but I can't bring myself to do it. You know I'm going to fit back into those after you make your arrival-" She smirked, rambling absentmindedly as she zoomed in on a dress, "Plus I can't have the town seeing me in something they recognize and realize I had to alter it. Snow may use my Häagen-Dazs joke against me and we can't give her any ammunition."

Regina smiled in satisfaction as she brought her hand over her screen, giving a simple turn of her wrist to materialize the items she had picked out. A sigh of contentment left her lips when expertly wrapped boxes appeared stacked on the coffee table in front of her and she closed the laptop and set it to the side in preparation of going through her new pieces.

"Mom, are you magic-ing clothes again?" Henry's question startled her from her mission of rifling through the boxes and she looked up to see he and David standing at the entry way to the living room watching with amused expressions. "I thought you said you couldn't do that anymore when I asked for a new game console-"

David bit back a laugh at the wide eyes and parted lips that greeted them when the Mayor looked up from her spot on the couch looking entirely caught. She appeared entirely un- _Regina_ -like in a silky button up pajama set that fit closer around the middle than it normally would due to her bump. White boxes covered her coffee table and her hands still gripped the wrapping paper she was tearing when they caught her red-handed.

"Henry if I magically acquired everything you asked me for I would have nothing to buy you at Christmas," Regina raised an eyebrow before her eyes flickered to David and she seemed to realize what she was wearing and how she must look, tucking her hair behind her ear with a frown, "You do know that dinner at my house is not until Wednesday, David."

"I know," He merely smiled and held up the pizza boxes, "We picked up something on the way. I'll go set it in the kitchen and get going."

"No, _no_ \- I didn't mean to be..." She trailed off and bit her lip, glancing between them, "Please stay and eat first. Henry why don't you take David into the kitchen and show him where the plates are? I'll be in in just a moment."

"C'mon Gramps," Henry gave him a smirk that told him they shouldn't argue and motioned for him to follow into the kitchen.

"You sure I should stay?" David asked quietly with a soft chuckle, "She does not look happy."

"She just wasn't expecting you to come in," His grandson shrugged as he made his way over to the cabinet and pulled out three plates, "She's not big on surprises. Especially when she's already in her pajamas."

David laughed and nodded, sitting the boxes of pizzas on the counter before glancing around. The mansion was quiet but dimly lit with candles burning in various places, giving it a peaceful ambiance. It felt different to the chilly energy it had when he'd stormed through the doors years ago demanding custody of the boy that was now getting forks from the drawer near the sink. There were small touches like family pictures and children's artwork on the fridge that made the house feel lived in and he was reminded again just how much life had changed for everyone in the last year, _especially_ Regina's.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know this is moves at a glacial pace EC wise but it is necessary to keep it somewhat realistic, given Snow and David are still together. I've never written an EC story with canon Snow alive or heavily involved, so I am interested to navigate that. I quite like Snow and Regina's friendship by this point in the show and don't want to merely use Snow as an obstacle. Lets see what you guys think!

"I hope you're hungry," David smiled up at Regina when she finally appeared in the kitchen. She still wore her silky pajama set but she had covered it with a thin robe that tied at the waist, the fabric of it parting slightly over the curve of her rounded midsection. Her face was void of any makeup and he was sure he'd never seen the woman look so wonderfully human before.

"Unfortunately I am staying that way as of late," Regina playfully perked a brow as she made her way towards the kitchen island, her dark eyes seeking out the pizza boxes with a hint of a smile.

"We got one with pepperoni and green olives, your favorite," Henry nodded confidently as he opened one of the boxes, "And then one with everything and extra cheese for me and Grandpa-" The boy shared a proud smile with David who grinned back in solidarity over their choice.

"You do realize that time is no longer frozen and that your poor eating habits are going to catch up to you with age," Regina taunted David, reaching to help Henry who struggled to separate the extra cheesy pieces he attempted to snag.

David merely shrugged and began separating their stacked plates, amusement curling his lips, "I work out, you know."

"That doesn't counteract the amount of grease you consume. Like this, Henry-" She said distractedly, helping him cut the pieces stuck together and put them on his plate after witnessing his clumsy attempt. "Less messy when you take your time-" She smiled at the teenager with no hint of frustration before looking back to David pointedly, "Like I said, I highly doubt you and your daughter hitting the gym three times a week counteracts the daily business you give the diner."

David grinned at the way she had seamlessly transitioned from lecturing him to helping her son and then back to lecturing him without skipping a beat. It was moments like those that reminded him what a stark contrast this maternal Regina was to the icy Queen he once knew. Snow had always been seen as the caretaker of the family but the woman he watched now was just as nurturing in her own more subtle way.

"See if I ever bring you pizza again," David feigned hurt before smiling playfully at her and taking the pizza spatula she offered to him from across the counter.

"That's Violet," Henry piped up quickly when his phone started buzzing on the counter, "Do you mind if I eat in my room so I can talk to her, Mom?" He asked with a pleading look, his excitement to talk to his girlfriend evident as he had already picked up his plate and phone.

"If you must," Regina nodded once and sighed as she watched Henry bolting towards the stairs with his plate in one hand and answering the call with the other. "Be careful!"

"Be careful? It's a phone call Regina not like they're making out in the backseat of a car-" David grinned when her gaze snapped back at him.

"I didn't mean that kind of careful. I meant not breaking his neck on the stairs!" Regina's face contorted in disgust as she pressed her hands against the island and sat down on one of the stools. "Although how you and Emma so casually treat the subject of my teenage son becoming sexually actively is quite concerning."

"Oh come on they're just kids with an innocent crush," David chuckled and rounded the corner of the island with his plate to find the stool beside of her. "He's only just turned 14. I doubt they've done anything more than holding hands."

"In case you haven't noticed, David," Her tone became sarcastic as she reached for a fork and knife to begin prissily cutting into her pizza. "This is not the Enchanted Forest. There is a thing called the internet that exposes children to a lot more adult knowledge than we had at that age. They grow up much faster."

"You don't think they're actually...doing stuff, do you?" David frowned and glanced at her, pausing as he held his pizza with his hands.

"I don't know," She sighed, "I think it is still rather innocent but I am reluctant to ask he plans to defile his girlfriend anytime soon. I don't think I want to know."

" _Defile_? Jesus, Regina," David snorted before taking a bite of his pizza. "What kind of freaky stuff were you up to at that age to call it that?" He teased.

"Oh please, I didn't even know what sex was at his age," She scoffed and rolled her eyes before looking back to cutting her pizza, "I was hoping Emma would be better equipped to handle this subject. She understands this world's dating rituals and is more of a realist about what our son might be up to. Though every time I mention her speaking to him she brings up the pregnant teenager shtick to get out of it."

"Yeah, she may not be the best one to be preaching sexual responsibility with the kid...Have you given him the talk yet?" David glanced at her and caught the way she exhaled at the idea.

"I have given him _a talk_ , yes. I gave him a book and told him the basis of it. I tried to explain to him how sex can be different for men and women, especially young girls and the importance of never pressuring a young woman who may not be ready. Though, after witnessing the two of them together it appears that Violet is not as bashful as the average girl from her realm."

David bit back a laugh at the judgmental raise of the brunette's eyebrows, "Oh c'mon, Regina. I know it's different because it's your son, but you don't strike me as the type to perpetuate that double standard for women from those older realms. Besides both of the kids have good heads on their shoulders. They know they're too young."

"You underestimate the decision making capabilities of horny teenagers," Regina said frankly, eyes shifting to meet his as she shrugged. "I knew my mother would've all but killed me had she known I let our stable-boy 'ruin me' but that didn't stop me from sneaking off with him any moment I could."

David chuckled then and nodded at her fair point, "How old were you then?"

"My seventeenth year, right before I married the king," She nodded and her gaze returned to the pizza she was carefully cutting with her utensils.

"I didn't until I was nineteen," David admitted with a smirk to lighten the mood and took a large bite of his pizza. "Late bloomer."

"Oh, _please_ ," Regina scrunched her face and waved her hand at him to stop, "I just got through the morning sickness months, please don't nauseate me with the thought of you and Snow having sex."

"It wasn't with Snow," David laughed at her reaction and gave a shrug, "I had a life before her, you know."

"You were a shepherd," Regina bantered dryly and he found it comforting to see her come back to life after how solemn the mention of Daniel made her. "Your sheep girlfriends don't count."

David choked on his bite, coughing a few times before looking at her with wide eyes, "Oh that was low, Mills. Even for you," He grinned at the mischievous sparkle in her dark eyes and realized he quite liked the natural look on her.

"I never claimed to fight fair. You of all people should know that," She said with a smug glance at him before refocusing on her plate.

" _Anyways_ ," He emphasized his return to the subject with a loud breath and a chuckle of his own, "I understand your concern and my daughter isn't exactly the most mature when it comes to talking about sensitive subjects...I can talk to Henry if you want."

"You would do that?" Regina glanced at him as she considered the idea, "What would you say to him?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow then and he had to stifle a groan at how difficult she could be.

"I just offered to talk to my grandson about sex and you want to know the details? Isn't it awkward enough I'm gonna have to talk to him about it?"

"Well forgive me, David, but you did marry your True Love back in the Enchanted Forrest in a much different time. Men back then lived by very different rules and women didn't have much of a choice. I want to be sure you speak to him about consent. I have tried to explain it in my initial discussion with him but he was too embarrassed to hear it from me that I don't think he retained anything."

"Well of course consent will be a part of the conversation," David scoffed and looked at her with a frown, "Who do you take me for? I may have grown up in the Enchanted Forest but I can still understand yes and no-"

"I'm not doubting that you do, David-" Regina rolled her eyes and stood to round the kitchen island and put her plate in the sink, "But please don't tell me you are naïve enough to believe that all women actually had a choice of yes or no back then. Consent wasn't a topic that was discussed when women were viewed as property and sex with her husband whenever he demanded it was considered a duty-" She looked up at him with hard set eyes that immediately made his gut sink. It was clear she had personal experience with the matter and he understood why she wanted the reassurance.

"Of course. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking-" David nodded seriously and decided to reassure her, "I'll start with discussing why people have sex and the importance of the right timing, as well as consent and the communication of that. Then answer any questions he has. Does that sound adequate?"

"Yes. Thank you...I was going to have Robin speak to him, but-" Regina's expression softened with a hint of sadness and she gave a small shrug, "I think it is important he hears it from a man he looks up to," She said before her expression became tight again. "God knows we need to counteract whatever sleazy advice Hook has given him."

"Oh god," David grumbled and pushed the lid of the pizza box back down, deciding against another piece at the mention of Killian, "Don't remind me of my son-in-law's questionable morals."

This seemed to amuse Regina and she gave him a rather toothy grin that made the scar on her upper lip stand out more from her lack of makeup. He found his scowl slowly relaxing as he studied her face for a moment and noted how naturally beautiful she was. Luckily for him, she spoke up before he had a chance to stare for too long, saving him from an awkward silence. "I have to say you're almost as good at holding grudges as I am. I've always liked that about you."

"What?" His brows furrowed and he gave a half-confused smile at her statement, "Is that a compliment? I never can tell with you."

"As close to a compliment as you'll ever get from me," Regina quirked her brows playfully, "But for a hero your instinct is surprisingly similar to my own. You're quick to act on impulse when you're angry. You know... _Kick ass first and take names later_ as your daughter would put it."

David smirked at the coy way the woman spoke but shook his head skeptically, "Having a short fuse isn't exactly a virtue and neither is grudge holding."

"Not to some," Regina tilted her head in partial agreement. "But don't you think there are times when talking falls short? When points need to be made-"

"In what context?" He shrugged and listened curiously for her theory. Regina had evolved tremendously since her time as a villain but she still understood the grey area between right and wrong better than anyone in this town thanks to her past.

"Well, if someone is threatening the people I love, my first instinct is a primal one. I do agree that everyone deserves a chance to make the right choice, but I am not going to grant them opportunity to hurt anyone," Regina raised a testy eyebrow that he'd seen so many times before, "And I have learned to forgive those who have wronged me, but I will not forget and give them the option to do so again."

"I always thought that kind of thing made me a bad hero," David admitted and exhaled deeply, resting his elbows on the kitchen island as Regina leaned back against her own spot at the counter opposite him. "Snow has always had to rein me in because I would go to extremes when we were threatened or in danger. My anger would blind me and I was prepared to fight or kill while she would always try to diffuse the situation."

"I am aware. You once made the call to execute me," She smirked dryly at him when he lifted his head in surprise and he remained silent as she continued speaking, "You would do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love, even if it means blurring the line between right and wrong. Despite everything I've learned through redeeming myself, I don't think that is a quality to apologize for...If it weren't for people willing to make and act on those questionable decisions, everyone would be jeopardized."

David watched her for a moment as he processed, surprised by how open she was being and the fact that her point resonated so deeply with him. He realized then just how similar their roles were in their family's dynamic and that he'd never considered it before. She had spent half of the year taking it upon herself to defeat Hyde, deal with her counterpart, break curses and keep everyone safe. He had felt that same immense pressure to protect their family and carried the crushing weight of it on his shoulders. The anxiety it caused him had even created problems between he and Snow due to how differently they approached these issues.

"Snow has always been so moral, so good-" David raised an eyebrow when Regina looked at him with a hint of displeasure at the opening statement but remained listening, "She always wanted to see and believe the best in people, always giving them the benefit of the doubt. I guess deep down I knew that I would need to be the one to make the tough calls and act on them when the need would arise. There have been plenty of times she's stopped me from doing things I would likely regret, and given people chances I would not have given...but there have also been times where had I not reacted with violence or force, we would not be alive today. I am not saying it is right, but I do not regret doing what I had to while she always struggles with the morality of it. I think sometimes she judges me for that because she can't understand it...and that is a lonely feeling, you know?"

"Do I?" Regina sighed with a sad smile and met his gaze, her dark eyes reflecting the heaviness he spoke of. "Knowing you are the person others will look to in those situations is not an easy burden to carry. To know you will be the one people silently expect to commit dark acts in the name of survival. They look to you because they are not capable of doing what is necessary without it destroying their entire identity."

"We put you in that position so many times following the curse breaking," David frowned regretfully at her as he thought back. "We looked down on your darkness but also relied on you to do whatever it took to save us on countless occasions. It was unfair to exploit the same thing we condemned you for. I'm sorry, Regina."

"I did not mean to reference the past, but thank you," She nodded and looked back at him with an unreadable expression, though he sensed she knew he understood. "We all have our roles to play, but it is not an easy thing to know that should the need for dark deeds arise, it will rest on your shoulders. Sometimes I am jealous of the innate goodness and optimism of people like your wife. I think of how much simpler it must be to know you will always take the high road instead of being in constant turmoil. But my instinct takes over in situations and I just-" Regina hesitated and motioned with her hands in an expression of frustration.

"Want to _fillet a bitch_?" David grinned at the brunette and delighted in the way her lips curled with devilish amusement as she hummed in agreement. "I know what you mean, Regina...and Emma gets it. She's a lot like me in that way, but with Snow sometimes it's like talking to a wall. I mean, in the middle of the Dark Fairy coming for Emma, Snow wanted to plan a wedding for our daughter in case she didn't survive the final battle. I couldn't fathom how she would even entertain losing Emma again as an outcome. It felt like she just stuck her head in the sand and gave up while I was driving myself crazy trying to find a way to fix everything."

Regina listened with an indecipherable expression when he glanced back up at her and he began to feel guilty for venting about his wife. He opened his mouth to apologize for saying anything but Regina wrapped her robe tighter around herself and spoke up with a gentle shake of her head, "When Robin left with Marian I was running myself ragged to try to find a way to get my happiness back. I didn't care how desperate I seemed. I even swallowed my pride and begged Blue for help. Begged anyone for help. It was heartbreaking to find out that while I could not even accept that our relationship was over, he had already tried to move on. I couldn't grasp how that could even be an option to him while I was in so much pain that I could barely function. I learned that everyone deals with things in their own way and that our ways were very different. I am the kind of person who gets so infuriated by the rock in my path that I will destroy myself trying to break through it while others save themselves the pain by simply walking around it."

"I wish I were one of those people, but it is not so easy for me to accept defeat," David shook his head as he tried to explain and folded his arms on the counter. "I guess I resent Snow sometimes for being able to live with her head in the clouds when our lives are falling apart. That it seems to rest on me at times to feel everything and act accordingly."

"It is not an easy thing to be in that position or to feel things more deeply than most," Regina shook her head, her tone soft and empathetic. It surprised David when he locked gazes with her again to see the understanding written in her expression. He didn't know why he hadn't considered that she may understand his inner turmoil. She had cast an entire curse because she loved hard and felt pain so deeply.

"Still, I shouldn't be saying these things," David caught his bottom lip between his teeth and looked towards the counter, "Especiallyabout Snow. I just...no one else would understand, no one that I could talk to, at least. But I didn't mean to put you in a strange position."

"Relationships are hard work, David. It's not a betrayal of Snow to need to talk things through with someone. I wouldn't have entertained the conversation if I felt it was," Regina reassured and he watched her hand absentmindedly run from her bump to her lower back. "Speaking of Snow, should we box some of this for you to take home to her?"

"No, it's okay. She was at the school preparing for her summer classes and planned to have dinner after with the other teachers," David nodded with a smile as he slowly stood from his stool, deciding he should probably leave judging from the way she rubbed at her back. She was likely tired and achy and he had already intruded enough for one night. "I should get out of your hair, though. Sorry for barging in on you."

"Don't apologize, Charming," Regina waved a hand dismissively at his statement and turned to grab a container from the counter beside of her before walking around the kitchen island, "Here, take these with you."

"What's this?" He smiled as she approached him and noted how petite she actually was while barefoot. He'd never seen her in anything but dangerously high heels and professional clothing and intimidatingly perfect makeup. Getting a glimpse of her bare face and tasteful dark red pedicure almost felt like something he shouldn't see.

"My famous apple turnovers," She nodded and lifted them up to him before raising an eyebrow, "Don't worry. They are safe. I no longer want you or your wife dead."

"You don't?" He dropped his mouth playfully as he took the container and grinned. "If you don't want to kill me...does that mean we are friends?"

Regina gave a roll of her dark eyes and fought a smile, "It is simply a thank you for dinner and bringing Henry home."

"I _knew_ it. We are friends," He teased with a wide smile to further annoy her. It was quite fun to joke with her now that their banter was less vicious in nature and he knew she wasn't truly angry. "You _like_ me."

"I'm going to take those back," She threatened, reaching for the container he held but he lifted it up over her head before she could snag it.

"Oh no, you are not taking back this token of friendship," David smirked and was truly amazed she hadn't snapped his neck yet.

"Goodnight, Charming-" Regina crossed her arms and gave him her best testy look but he noted her fighting smile as he walked backwards towards the foyer. She had never humored him for this long before and it made him grin stupidly in response.

"I'll see you Wednesday, Mills."

* * *

"How are we feeling?" Dr. Whale asked on his way into the hospital room, eyes glued to her chart before he looked up at her with a cheerful smile. Regina couldn't help her immediate eye-roll at the sight of him as she sat perched on the exam table, hands clasped on her lap so she wouldn't fidget. She had never been a good patient and the irrational first pregnancy jitters only made her less tolerant during these appointments.

"She's fine, Dr. Whale," Henry spoke up then and she glanced at him, feeling the gentle reprimand from her teenage son. He had a way of reminding her not to be stubborn without calling her out entirely and she was well aware he was warning her to play nice. "She hasn't had morning sickness for a while now."

"Excellent," Whale nodded and Regina looked at Henry in surprise at how he would know.

"I heard you in the mornings, Mom. It was like an alarm clock," Henry shrugged with a hint of a grimace, "Why do you think I took a sudden interest in making herbal tea for us in the mornings?"

Regina's chest tightened with emotion at the way Henry took care of her and wondered when their roles began reversing. She gave him a warm smile and nodded at his response before looking at Whale, feeing a bit more amiable due to her son's thoughtfulness. "My appetite has also increased significantly, but I did read that was normal for the second trimester."

"Indeed it is, Dr. Mills," Whale nodded and turned to the ultrasound machine, pressing the button to turn the screen on.

"Don't patronize me," Regina snapped before muttering, "I don't know why I didn't create more than one obstetrician in this godforsaken hospital," her eyes narrowed and he held his hands up innocently.

"I can assure you I was not trying to provoke you, Regina," He sighed with a resigned smile which only irritated her more. Yelling at Whale was much more satisfying when he reacted to it. "The baby is growing in size a little faster now, requiring a lot of nutrients which increases your appetite. And thanks to the fading morning sickness, you are able to consume more."

"So would you recommend she should eat more calories...like burgers and fries and milkshakes?" Henry piped up then with a mischievous grin.

"Babies need nutrients, not junk food," Regina squinted playfully at Henry before leaning back on the bed when Whale held up the ultrasound gel.

"As long as you are adamant about taking your vitamins, indulging yourself occasionally will not harm the child," Whale nodded reassuringly, "Regina, please remember this ultrasound gel is cold when applied...I would appreciate no fireballs this time."

"Yes, I am aware of that now and no, I will not throw a fireball this time," Regina muttered with a glare at the man as she relaxed back against the half raised exam table and pulled her blouse up to uncover her rounded stomach. "It was a reflex-" She huffed defensively when she saw Henry raise his brow at the knowledge of her bad behavior.

"We have come to an understanding that I would not do anything without warning first," Dr. Whale explained to Henry when the boy stood and neared the other side of the exam bed, "Alright Madam Mayor, are you ready?" He asked and she gave a nod, allowing him to apply the gel to her bump.

"This is so cool," Henry said excitedly, looking back to Regina as he stood closer when Whale pressed the monitor to her skin and began spreading the gel around.

"The nurse tells me you want to find out the gender this time?" Whale nodded with a brief smile as he watched the monitor, moving the ultrasound wand over her bump until it registered sound. "Ah, there's that strong heartbeat."

"That's it?" Henry heard the sound coming from the machine and his mouth dropped before looking at Regina.

Her heart nearly burst from her chest at Henry's excitement and she reached out, gripping his hand with a wide smile of her own. "Yes, we'd like to know so that we may start preparing. I know that you said you said it is entirely possible to know at this stage."

"Yes, you're measuring around 21 weeks, give or take a week," He nodded and glanced at her, "Feeling much movement yet? Given you have magic it is likely you can feel the baby move and that others could feel the baby earlier than in most pregnancies."

"I have felt movement for a while now, yes," Regina smiled in awe as she watched the screen and listened to the heartbeat that made her own thump faster, "It's still very gentle, but enough that Henry could faintly feel it."

"Enjoy that while it lasts. Once the baby gets bigger those twists and turns and kicks can become quite strong," Dr. Whale nodded before looking from the screen to them with a smile. "Alright Mills family. Are you ready to know?"

"You can tell by that?" Regina's gaze darted back to the screen, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

"I can, thanks to training in the magic of modern medicine," Whale chuckled and glanced back at the machine. "Everything appears healthy. The heartbeat is strong and the baby appears to be developing on schedule. Your blood work looks good but I do want you to start taking an iron supplement. And now, if you still wish to know the gender..."

"Mom, tell him we are ready!" Henry urged with an anxious laugh, causing her to look back at the both of them from the screen that had captivated her attention.

"I'm...ready," Regina took a breath and gave a somewhat nervous smile, glancing at her son briefly. This child was incredibly real and about to become even more so.

"It appears your Mom is giving you a little sister, Henry," Whale smiled kindly at them and her breath caught in her throat, "Regina, you're going to have a daughter."

* * *

Regina announced the news from her doctor's appointment while they prepared Wednesday night dinner and her family had been buzzing with the topic throughout the entire evening. Having the lively bunch under her roof helped keep her from dwelling on what it would've been like to share it with Robin and the more melancholy aspect of her reality. She appreciated the joy that the conversation seemed to bring everyone and it helped keep her spirits high, even if Snow had blubbered at the news initially.

"We should do one of those gender reveal parties!" Snow exclaimed amongst the chatter at the table, reaching out to wipe Neal's face as he squirmed in his high chair seated between she and David. The baby grimaced and jerked, fussing in an animated way that made Regina chuckle before she looked back at his mother whose eyes had widened excitedly with her idea.

"A gender _what_ -" Regina raised a bewildered brow at the woman to the right of her before looking at Emma when she groaned from her spot at the other end of the table.

"Mom, Regina is not the type to pop balloons full of paint in the backyard-" Emma smirked and rolled her eyes as Snow's mouth dropped dramatically at her idea being persecuted.

"A balloon of paint?" Regina looked between the two women in confusion. "What in gods name-"

"It doesn't have to be balloons! I've seen ones with confetti and cakes and smoke bombs-" Snow shrugged, "I even saw one on the internet with an alligator-"

"Maybe Emma and the pirate should keep the alligator idea-" Zelena piped in with a dig at Hook.

"Not the same thing as a crocodile, _love_ ," Killian tilted his head to the side in good humor and took a sip of his wine. "Stick to your monkeys."

"Wait a second-" David lifted his gaze from his plate, holding his fork mid-air when his brows furrowed at Killian and Emma, "Are you-"

"God no," Emma's eyes widened and she let out a startled laugh. "I'm still processing the fact we're actually married."

Regina smirked at how disgruntled David appeared to be by the idea of Hook impregnating his daughter and that it was the only thing that seemed to have slowed his inhalation of her apple pie, "Will someone please tell me what we are talking about?" She sighed and glanced back at the rest of them.

"It's like a thing people do now, Mom-" Henry shook his head, speaking up from his seat to her immediate left where he and Zelena sat with Robin in her high chair in the middle. "People have a party and they get like a cake with pink or blue food coloring in it, and cut into it to reveal if they're having a boy or a girl..."

"I could plan the whole thing. Oh it would be so much fun!" Snow smiled wistfully.

"But you all already know-" Regina raised an eyebrow skeptically, "I'm not sure I understand the point."

"Well, we could do it at the Town Hall or Granny's. Somewhere we could announce it to the town that Regina's giving us a princess!" Snow smiled and looked around pleadingly for agreement, "Come on, you guys. We had a celebration for everything back in the Enchanted Forest. I think it's time we start that here-"

"Snow, we're not exactly royalty anymore," David laughed and glanced at Regina with an apologetic smile.

"Not to mention there are certainly more ways to identify in this world than there were in the Enchanted Forest," Regina chuckled and reached for her glass of water, "She may not wish to grow up to be a pink-loving, tiara-wearing princess. I'm not going to put my child in a box before they're even born."

"Pretty progressive for a fairytale character," Emma gave a grin of approval from the other end of the table before glancing at her parents, "She's from the same land you are. Why the hell are you guys still so traditional?"

"We aren't that traditional," Snow sighed and reached for her wine glass as the rest of the table erupted into a series of snorts and chuckles. "Okay, _okay_. Gender reveal party is off the table, but I am throwing you a baby shower and there is nothing you can do about it, _Regina Mills._ "

Regina gave an amused smirk and a slow nod of agreement, "I suppose I can compromise with that, _Snow White."_

" _Ooooh_ a baby shower. We gonna play that game where we all guess her waist size?" Emma asked with a mischievous smirk, causing her mother's head to practically swivel as she spun to shoot a glare at her.

"No! Games are entirely optional!" Snow narrowed her eyes at Emma to shut her up before looking back at Regina, "She's just trying to instigate because she thinks its funny to see us go back and forth."

"I'm just letting you know what she's going to get you into," Emma laughed and looked at Regina with a shrug of her shoulders. "Those baby gifts come with some humiliating games in this world."

Regina merely sighed and gave a chuckle under her breath, "Why am I not surprised?"

"Speaking of gifts, I do need you to start considering what you need so that we can complete a registry," Snow nodded adamantly at Regina when the table began to talk amongst themselves, "What do you still need to get?"

"I don't know," Regina frowned, hesitant to admit how much she'd put off, "Everything? I haven't really...done any preparation yet. With Henry I didn't need to until everything was finalized and with everything going on this year, I just..." she sighed and gave a shrug, feeling somewhat guilty.

"I saw some boxes in the foyer," David spoke up then, making her realize he had been listening to their conversation over the others, "Is that a crib and a changing table?"

"Oh, yes-" Regina nodded with a glance at him, remembering the nursery furniture stacked near her stairs. "I had them delivered but I just haven't had time to magic them upstairs and assemble them yet."

"Well, if you want-" David began before he was cut off by his wife.

"David can come over and do it-" Snow nodded, earning a perturbed stare from him.

"Oh, god no-" Regina shook her head at the look on David's face. It had sounded like he was about to offer his help before Snow cut him off but she wasn't sure, "No, he's already been subjected to my birthing class. Besides, I don't need help with the nursery. I can do it all with my magic."

"Then why haven't you already, Regina?" Snow asked knowingly. "It is okay to accept help. Working full time is exhausting enough let alone doing so while you're pregnant. You're not going to have the energy to do everything. David can come over on the weekend and move the boxes upstairs and get them put together."

David was looking at Regina when she glanced back to him with a softened expression and a reassuring smile, "Really, I don't mind to help."

"Why do I have a feeling you'll send him even if I say no?" Regina sighed and looked back to her former enemy who smiled triumphantly.

"Because we are family. It's what we do."


	5. Chapter 5

"Good morning."

Regina opened her front door to find David Nolan greeting her with a pleasant smile and raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously before remembering her manners, "Good morning-"

"Baby furniture," He explained at her hesitance and held up his toolbox higher with his right hand, "And breakfast pastries," He added with a smirk and a lift of the paper bag in his left hand.

"Oh, right. Snow ordered you to help me," Regina remembered the dinner discussion from a few weeks ago and gave a good humored roll of her eyes, opening her door wider and motioning for him to come into the foyer. "You really don't have to, you know. Now that my morning sickness seems to be over I'm getting some of my energy back and was planning to magic the nursery together when I felt up to it."

"It's no problem. I was going to offer even before Snow said anything. Plus, I got pretty good at this baby furniture stuff after Neal. It only took me an Emma four hours to put his crib together-" He smirked and set the toolbox down on the floor. "Now don't tell me you don't want my breakfast either or I'm going to feel really rejected."

She couldn't help smiling back at his playfulness when he straightened and held the bag temptingly near his head. "Are you always such a morning person?"

"Only when I'm trying to convince stubborn mayors to let me in to their mansions," David replied with a nod. "Now, are you gonna offer me coffee to go with these donuts or are you just putting me straight to work?" he teased and she took note of his even smile.

"Follow me," she sighed, knowing there was no getting out of him helping her as she turned on her heels and led him towards her kitchen.

It was odd having David around but what surprised her more was that she didn't seem to mind. There was a time when opening the door to him meant all hell was breaking loose and she needed to brace herself for a fight. Having him show up to help her on more than one occasion now with treats in tow felt strange, but she couldn't say she hated the company.

It helped her mood that she'd woken up earlier feeling rested and had been able to shower, dress and do her makeup without being exhausted by the end. Thanks to her new maternity wardrobe she was able to easily select an outfit that fit properly, making her more amiable with the knowledge that she didn't look as frumpy as she'd felt lately.

"How do you take your coffee?" She asked as she rounded the counter to grab a mug from the cabinet.

"Black is fine," David nodded and sat the bakery bag on the countertop.

"What? No whip cream and sprinkles?" Regina teased and glanced back at him with a playful raise of her eyebrow, "You _are_ a Charming."

"You always this sarcastic in the morning?" his eyes crinkled with another one of those signature grins.

"Only when I'm dealing with a determined shepherd inviting himself into my house," she mocked him from earlier before returning to the kitchen island and sliding his coffee across to him with mischief in her eyes. "You know I agreed to your help with the nursery, not with making me fat."

David chuckled when he followed her gaze to the donuts, reaching out to slide the bag towards her, "Get in there, you know you want to. Thank you, by the way," nodded towards the coffee mug on the counter and picked it up. "I'm going to need the caffeine. Neal was up half of the night thanks to the terrible toddler phase. I didn't get much sleep."

"I remember those days," Regina nodded with a soft laugh, "I used to fall asleep in Henry's toddler bed with him just trying to get him to go down for the night. I would wake up with a sore neck and back from sleeping curled up to fit and him on top of me. Finally I just gave up and let him sleep with me until he grew out of that phase."

"How long did that take?" David's eyes widened at the thought. She realized then that this was technically his first time experiencing raising a child and a twinge of guilt followed that she was the reason.

"I think I finally got him back in his own bed when he turned 3," Regina smiled and shook her head, "It probably would've been sooner, but it was easier since it was just he and I."

"I'm not sure that makes much of a difference, Neal has slept between us since he was old enough not to squash him-" David chuckled and shook his head, "Sometimes I still wake up in a panic thinking I've rolled over on him."

"Kids are a lot less fragile than you think," She smiled at the image of David's big frame next to his sleeping son and felt a sense of longing to witness that kind of familial scene for herself. "Part of me liked having Henry close to me. He was the first thing that was truly precious to me in so long that I wanted to have my eyes on him at all times."

"I can't imagine how you did it all by yourself," He raised an eyebrow, "I could barely keep everything together when Snow and I were under the sleeping curse."

"It wasn't always easy, but I cherished it all the same," she smiled a little to herself as she took a pastry and began picking it apart to nibble on, "It had been so long since...I don't know, since I'd had anyone, I guess."

David watched the way she averted her gaze when she realized what a vulnerable statement she made. He gave her an encouraging nod when she glanced up at him, wanting her to know he was interested in what she had to say and that there was no need to feel awkward. "I'd imagine it was quite a transition after being on your own for so long."

Regina nodded once, thinking back on it with a hint of a smile, "To say the least. We had a bit of a rocky start, Henry and I."

"Really?" David looked at her in surprise, "But you two have such a bond."

"It didn't happen straight away," she admitted, not sure why she was sharing the fact. It wasn't something that she'd really told anyone but she suddenly found herself explaining it to Charming of all people. "I, _uhm_...well, I'd been alone so long that I'd forgotten how to...love, I guess you would say. I couldn't figure out why he was crying all of the time. I'd feed him and change him and he'd still just cry until his face was red and I had a migraine," she breathed a laugh.

David gave a small smile, "When did it begin to change?"

"It's embarrassing to admit, but I thought there was something physically wrong with him so I took him to the doctor. Only to run into your wife who was able to calm Henry and bring it to my attention that I was the problem. I realized I was taking care of him, but I wasn't letting him in. I'd been closed off for so long that I hadn't even realized I'd been doing it."

"You certainly figured it out. You did an amazing job with Henry."

"Breakfast and compliments from Charming?" she smiled after a moment and he laughed from behind his coffee mug. "What a strange morning."

"Should we check for pigs flying outside?" David grinned and Regina found herself laughing genuinely at his banter. He'd always been able to keep up with her sarcasm and bickering, but she supposed she was surprised to find he could actually be rather witty as well. Of course she'd also written him off as an idiot for decades. _Maybe she was wrong._ "Now _that_ would be a noteworthy rendition of Old McDonald."

Regina coughed a little on her sip of coffee at his comment, thinking back on she and Henry joking about it during their lunch with David at the diner, "Wait a minute, you actually looked up the nursery rhyme?" she couldn't help but laugh out loud again.

"Hey, I had to know who this _McDonald guy_ was that you were comparing me to," he shrugged and a faked serious expression, "And to be frank, his farm doesn't sound as impressive as mine. He doesn't even have _that many_ animals."

"Just when I was beginning to think you weren't entirely an idiot," Regina hid her grin with her coffee mug, ignoring how warm their shared gaze was.

"To be fair, I do have a toddler with a lot of those enchanted song books of this world. I finally understood what you and Henry were talking about when Neal's bedtime story choice started singing about farm animals," David laughed before his eyes crinkled with a playful smirk again. "Though I am curious how you ever added a cricket to the song. I mean really, Regina. What in gods name did you use for the sound on that one?"

"Idiot. You're an idiot."

* * *

"Hey Mom," Henry announced his presence in the den as he came in and plopped down beside of Regina on the sofa, "What are you watching? Or working on?" he glanced between the paperwork on her lap and the television, "Do you _ever_ not multitask?"

" _Hmm_ , enjoy the fact that you don't have to for now, my dear boy," she gave him a playful smile and nudged him gently in the side, "Soon you'll be all grown up and wishing you didn't understand the need for multi-tasking."

"I think I'll pass. Being a grown up doesn't sound fun," he joked and leaned into her as she closed her files and laid them beside of her.

"Don't be worried, it has its perks and you'll do just fine," she smiled into his hair when she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, "That is until your baby boy grows up on you."

Henry laughed before leaning up slightly, "Do you want me to stay home tonight? Maybe watch a movie or something?"

"What have I told you about that?"

"About what?" His mouth dropped innocently.

"About trying to change your plans to stay in with your boring old mother-" she grinned and shook her head, "Aren't you seeing your friends and Violet tonight?"

"Well, _yeah_ , but-" Henry's smiled weakened, "It's just all you do is work when I'm not around. You deserve to have fun too."

"Henry, I can assure you that I am going to have plenty of fun once I finish this paperwork," she quirked a dark brow with a rather mischievous expression, "I may or may not have purchased a party size container of rocky road at the grocery store today."

David laughed under his breath as he stood in the hall, observing their conversation. He'd come down with his toolbox and set it in the foyer before looking for Regina to let her know he'd gotten the furniture together. When he found the pair cuddling on the couch it had caught him off guard and he couldn't help but watch for a few moments, overhearing Henry's concern of Regina spending too much time alone.

"Now I want to stay here even more," Henry grinned at his mother and David's heart warmed at how good of a son his grandson was. It had been just the two of them for years and they looked out for each other with the same protective care despite how much their family had grown. David still found it caught him off guard at times to see the two of them interact. Regina was just so warm and without any hint of the walls that she put up with just about everyone else.

"Nonsense," Regina gave him a squeeze with the arm she had wrapped around him, appearing unable to wrap both of them around him due to her growing baby bump. "Now go, I put some money on table in the foyer for you."

"But I have a job now-" Henry raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean you're too grown up for me to give you an allowance," she rolled her eyes playfully giving him a nudge, "Have a good night, okay? I love you."

"Thanks, love you," Henry nodded and kissed her cheek before he got up from the couch and made his way out of the room through the foyer and front door.

David made his presence known then, stepping into the living room from the side entry to the back hallway where he'd sat his toolbox, "Hey, all done up there," he smiled when she looked up at him, "It's all put together."

"Thank you, honestly, it's such a big help and for you to take time out of your schedule to do it-" Regina began, smiling weakly up at him from the sofa, "I know you have your hands full."

"Don't worry about it," David smiled at how grateful she seemed of him, such a stark contrast to the interactions they used to have. He glanced towards the foyer then as he considered his exit before glancing back at her, not knowing why he felt the pull to prolong their interaction. Maybe he was just avoiding going home, or maybe he enjoyed her presence too much, but he took a few steps further into the living room and ignored his logic. "I was thinking I could come back and do the painting and then rearrange the furniture up there if you wanted."

"What? Absolutely not," Regina laughed, eyes widening in disbelief at the generosity of his offer, "That's just too much. I can work on it with my magic."

"Will you stop being stubborn?" David grinned at the surprised look she gave him then. He glanced at the end of the couch closest to him before deciding to sit down and continue before she could refuse. "Henry told me that work wears you out so much that you don't have the energy to do much when you get home, let alone the energy to summon magic for a room remodel."

"You and Henry have been talking about me?" Regina's expression shifted dangerously.

"Look, he's a thoughtful kid and just mentions things in passing that he's concerned you're doing too much," David nodded before picking up the file between them as proof of his point. "He's right, too. You need to relax and have a little fun every now and then."

"Have fun?" She eyed him skeptically, "Is Snow in on this? Is this some sort of elaborate plan to keep me preoccupied from my sadness so I won't go all Evil Queen on you guys again?"

"What? _Jesus_ , no Regina," David let out a nervous laugh, eyes growing wide at where her imagination had taken her. "I'm not scheming with Henry and Snow to _babysit_ you," he let out a breath and leaned back in the couch, "Can you just not be suspicious for five minutes?"

Regina watched him for a moment, starting to feel a little guilt for getting so defensive with him. The man seemed tense at the mention of his wife, making her wonder if his time here was actually serving to keep _him_ distracted. Still she couldn't let herself seem entirely soft so she let out a breath and spoke to her defense, "I shouldn't have said that, but I do wonder why you're here and it just made the most sense..."

"I've told you over and over again I'm here to help you. Is it so hard to accept the fact that I care for you as much as the rest of the family does?" he turned his head to the side but didn't lift it from the couch as he met her gaze before chuckling at her skeptical expression, "...can you just not question it?"

"Question why Prince Charming is on my couch looking like he plans to stay for a while, you mean?" she summarized for him with inquisitive eyes, though there was a hint of good humor in her question.

"Snow has plans with Ruby tonight and Emma has Neal, so," David shrugged, "Why not? I'm free."

"Wouldn't you rather be home enjoying your alone time? You've seemed so busy lately I doubt that you get much."

"Alone time? It feels like all I get lately is alone time," he let out a breath and looked towards the fireplace as Regina studied him. There was conflict written all over his expression but she didn't question it. She hadn't wanted to feel like a charity case but she could see a familiar lonesomeness and restlessness in him that she struggled with herself. Maybe he did need the company as much as she did.

" _Well_ ," Regina glanced at the clock on the mantle before looking back to him, "There _is_ rocky road in the freezer."

"Yeah?" David's head snapped back to her with an excited, childlike grin like he had immediately forgotten his troubles at the invitation to spend time with her.

"I suppose I could spare a bowl considering my baby will have a place to sleep now thanks to you," Regina joked and gave a playful roll of her eyes, "Find something decent to watch for us while I go get it."

"I get to stay for a movie, too?" he let his mouth drop in mock wonderment, earning an annoyed smile from her as she stood.

"Then you're leaving right after."

* * *

"All right, Madam Preggo just said she'll be on her way soon from her office," Emma announced as she made her way back to the booth where Snow sat, handing her the menus she'd got for them as she read the text from Regina, "I figured she was ditching us."

"She will if she hears you use that nickname, or do worse," Snow laughed with a quick shake of her head, turning to tuck Neal's blanket over him where he napped soundly in his carrier on the seat beside of her.

"She tolerates a lot more than she used to," Emma smirked and plopped back down to sit opposite of them, "Especially where there's lunch involved these days."

" _Hm_ ," Snow hummed a smile and took a sip of her coffee, gaze shifting towards her phone on the table.

"Everything okay?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Snow smiled pleasantly and looked quickly back to her daughter.

"Because you barely know where your phone is half of the time, but today you have it on the table so you can see it," Emma shrugged and reached for her own coffee, "Things all right with you and Dad?"

Snow's brows furrowed as if it were an absurd question and Emma quickly saw through it. Her mother was a terrible liar and the answer was written all over her face despite her attempt to hide it. She had suspected they were going through something for a while now and stomach sank a little at the knowledge that her mother was concerned.

"Why would you ask that?" Snow shook her head and shifted her gaze back to her coffee, "Of course we are."

"Really? 'Cause the last couple of times I dropped by at the farmhouse things seemed tense between you-" Emma prodded gently, remaining casual in hopes she could get her mother talking honestly instead of trying to cover it up for her sake, "Mom, I'm an adult. You can talk to me about whatever is going on."

Snow looked at her for a long, contemplative moment before nodding once with a sigh, "Your Dad and I had an argument this morning. Usually by this time he'd have already called to say sorry, but I haven't heard from him yet."

"What are you two arguing about?"

"To be honest, I don't know, it feels like nothing and everything at the same time," she frowned, "I think we're still trying to figure out who are now. We've never really done this, you know-"

Emma's expression grew confused, "What do you mean?"

"Life together," Snow gave a weak smile, "We were always focused on defeating Regina back in the Enchanted Forest and ruling the kingdom. Then once the curse lifted here we were busy leading the town and keeping it safe. Now we're decades older and trying to find our new roles and lately it just seems like they're taking us in opposite directions."

"Is it the whole farm thing?" Emma frowned, knowing Snow hadn't necessarily wanted to move outside of the town limits. She was too social for the isolation and was constantly finding reasons to come to Emma's.

"No, not is isn't just that. I do like the farm, but I miss town just the same. Especially with how little your Dad and I seem to be talking lately..." she sighed and glanced at Neal. "When he's not at the station, he's working on fixing up the farm stables. I'm focused on getting back into teaching and more involved with the school. It doesn't leave much time to focus on us."

"Well it's only temporary, right? I know once he gets the farm up and running he won't be working regularly at the station. Just filling in for me or Hook when we're out," Emma nodded, trying to remain positive despite how unsettling it was to hear her optimist mother seem so unsure.

"Of course it's only temporary," Snow nodded and gave her signature hope-filled smile, "Your father and I have been through much worse. We'll figure this out, too."

"Yeah," Emma nodded and returned the smile though it felt strained, making her relieved when the diner door jingled and she looked up to see the Mayor.

Regina wore a dark blue fitted dress, looking entirely professional and powerful as she always had, except for the very humanizing bump that protruded at her middle. It made her seem more approachable and Emma found it rather amusing that the woman could no longer hide her softness behind an icy exterior.

"Sorry I'm late, one of the dwarves came to protest a parking ticket," she muttered, sitting down in the booth beside of Emma a little more gingerly than she normally would, "I swear if I had known that stupid decal they put on my door was going to make them think they could drop in at any moment, I would've scraped it off _right_ then and there."

Emma let out a laugh and Snow smiled, shaking her head humorously at Regina's grumpiness before she saw the way the mayor pushed her shoulders into the booth to stretch her back, "You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Regina sighed and looked up at them both watching her carefully, immediately frowning and shifting in her seat. She still wasn't used to the care and concern her family showed her and became awkward at times, "I'm pregnant, not terminally ill. Will you both stop staring? My back just hurts."

Emma chuckled again under her breath looking back to her coffee mug, "Yeah, that's probably because of those heels. I could barely get shoes on by the end of my pregnancy with Henry. Of course, I was in a cell so I guess it didn't matter much," she shrugged in dry humor.

"Emma, really?" Snow raised an eyebrow with an exasperated breath, but soon forgot her daughter's crass humor when she saw the amusement curling Regina's lips. In addition to a son, the two of them shared the same sense of humor and Snow found herself on the receiving end of it often when they were together. She couldn't say that she minded it though as it was all in good fun and served as a reminder to just how far they'd all come.

"I'm fine, truly. I was just on my feet all morning," Regina reassured Snow and sighed under her breath. They'd come a long way from poison apples and almost-executions, but their personalities were still very different and it could create friction at times, usually when she lost her patience with the bubbly woman's incessant fussing or questions. She appreciated the way Emma always seemed to know when to buffer between them to lighten the mood.

"You're six months now, right?," Snow smiled and shook her head, "I know there's no use in trying to convince you not to work as much, but maybe take more breaks? Or at least wear more comfortable shoes."

"I'm fully capable of taking care of myself," Regina rolled her eyes slightly with a hint of a smile. It was odd how their roles had reversed since their time as step-mother and daughter. She'd only been a girl herself back then but she'd tried to make sure Snow was looked after. Now she found the younger woman looking out for her in a similar way.

"Trust me I know," Snow smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "But you don't have to anymore. You've got us."

"Talk is cheap, Mom-" Emma smirked when she saw Granny bringing a plate of cheese fries over to the table.

"Here's your appetizer, ladies," Granny smiled over her glasses and sat the plate in the middle, "I'll be back in a minute to get your order."

Emma smirked after they thanked Granny and she glanced at Regina whose eyes were lingering on the plate, "The only way to appease Madam Preggo is with an offering."

"Madam what-" Regina's head snapped up and mouth dropped as she turned to look at Emma, "Oh no, no that nickname will not be repeated."

"Sorry," Emma feigned an innocent expression before mumbling under her breath humorously as she reached for a fry, "... _Madam Preggo_ -"

"Would you like a plate and utensils, _Princess Swan_?" Regina asked dryly with a pointed look at her.

Snow snickered and Emma's lips parted briefly before she nodded once, "Point taken," she said quickly before hearing her phone go off, checking the text.

"Crap, Dad got called out for a fender bender," Emma muttered before looking up at the other two women, "Nothing serious but I'll have to get back to the station since Hook's off today," she huffed with a glance at the cheese fries.

"Put in your order and I'll bring it to you after we're done," Regina smirked, noting Emma's disappointment over the food.

"I suppose he forgot he was supposed to take Neal this afternoon," Snow frowned with sudden irritation, making Regina think back on David's disposition just a few days prior. "Belle couldn't today and I have to get back to the school."

Regina noted Snow's tension and glanced at the sleeping baby, remembering how hard it had been balancing Henry and work. She knew it was an an adjustment for the woman to be away from Neal no matter how much she enjoyed teaching. Not to mention the strain it seemed to be putting on her marriage. "I don't have any meetings this afternoon. I could take him."

"I can't ask you to do that, Regina. You have enough going on," Snow said with a soft frown.

"You're not asking, I volunteered. It's the least I can do after you've lent me your husband on two occasions now," she joked with a reassuring smile. "Besides, it's been a while since Henry was that age and I could use the practice, considering."

Snow's shoulders relaxed with a slow exhale, "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"I'm sure," Regina nodded before rolling her eyes playfully, "Don't make me regurgitate your ' _we're family, it's what we do_ ' speech, Snow."


End file.
